In Dr. Kuralt's Software Documentation course, we were tasked with writing a set of written procedures for a task. This task needed to be fairly complex, and the instructions needed to be geared toward an online software program.

I knew that I wanted to create a tutorial for a program I liked and was familiar with. After some brainstorming, I decided to use Evernote. Although it started as a simple note taking application, Evernote has grown to include a variety of features. It's often used for project planning and other management tasks.

Our tutorial needed to be tailored toward a specific audience, so I knew that writing a generic "How to Use Evernote" guide wouldn't work. I thought about some of the different types of guides and written procedures I was used to seeing online. I also looked at my own Evernote files and notebooks to see if I could connect to the project in a personal way.

I eventually stumbled upon a web clipping I took months prior that showed a recipe I wanted to try, and the idea to write a tutorial on creating a recipe book in Evernote was born. The instructions include basic information on what Evernote is and how to use it, how to use the Evernote Webclipper tool, and how to use the two to create an online recipe book.

One of the main things I learned through this project is how important it is to work through the written procedures yourself as though you are a new user. I realized that a new user would need instructions on how to install Evernote and would need a quick overview of the terminology they would need to understand the procedures. Being able to look at different types of documentation from a new user's point of view is an important skill that this project - and program - has helped me develop.