Posted on November 30, 2016
This report outlines the initial proposal for the Snapchat user manual. This report should cover some of the broad and basic information that first-time users of the Snapchat application need to know. This report shall also cover the unique stylistic components that the author shall use in his final report—which would be the actual Snapchat user manual. The purpose of this report then is to guide the author in planning and writing what to write, how to write the contents, and where to place them in the actual manual.
Needs Assessment
The focus of the project would be on the application Snapchat. Snapchat is a social media application that allows users to share videos called snaps. This is, in fact, a new trend in the digital arena because as of the moment it is the process of sharing photos that is most prevalent. What Snapchat is all about, however, is the process of sharing videos. It is important to note, however, that users may also take and share photos, drawings, and texts and then send them to a controlled list of people (i.e. the recipients). Essentially, Snapchat is a messaging tool that has a high level of multimedia sharing capability. Considering all of these features, it can be said that Snapchat is virtually intended to be used (and can actually be used) by everyone; from businessmen to casual and professional photographers and graphic and video artists. Students may also take advantage of the enhanced sharing capability of Snapchat. What is unique with Snapchat, however, is the fact that it enables the users to specify how long the snaps (i.e. the sent videos and photographs) can be viewed by their recipients and actually stay in the company’s servers—after which the developers of the app claim that it would already be deleted.
Additional Research
One of the latest features that Snapchat users can enjoy is the Snapchat Lenses. With lenses, users can take snaps using real-time special effects, sounds, and filters. This way, they would not have to edit their snaps. Whenever there are updates, new filters (e.g. rewind, slow-motion, force touch) and effects may get released so it would be best to frequently update the version of Snapchat installed on the smartphone or a tablet computer.
Audience Analysis
The intended audience for the Snapchat user manual would be all of the potential users of the application. Some of the specific examples include:
The application user manual that will be published shall cater to all the users’ needs. No separate version of the user manual will be released for a particular group or audience. The target audience for the user manual would be those who have basic to intermediate smartphone and internet navigation skills; those who actually own a smart phone or a tablet computer equipped with a decent camera capable of taking pictures and recording videos—because these are the main hardware requirements for an individual to utilize Snapchat.
Suggested Table of Contents
About the Manual
Wiki Section
Using Snapchat
Troubleshooting
Frequently Asked Questions
The most basic information about Snapchat shall be placed within a consolidated FAQ section. The purpose of the FAQ section would be to enable the users to get started in using the Snapchat application. This may contain instructions on how to install the application, where the download links may be obtained, and how to set up the application on their device after installation. This can be presented within any section of the user manual. In any case, the most important component would be the content. This section has to be simple and easy to understand.
Design Layout
The purpose of the Snapchat user manual is to get the users started on how to use the application. The focus of the writing process should then be on the content because it is the most important component that would determine the success of the project. The design process should, however, be not taken for granted. The design and layout should embody the following characteristics: elegance, professionalism, and neatness. The design should be creative but not to the point that it would look untidy and too artistic. After all, this was not intended to be an art project. The design and layout should make it easier for the readers to read and understand all sections of the content; this is where the neatness component should be factored in. The layout should follow the outline of the contents provided earlier where each section should have its own design in order for the readers to understand how each section is independent of each other.
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