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--- Archimede Ziviello archimede -dot- ziviello -at- cannondale -dot- com wrote:
> Please discuss the processes you go through as writers, managers,
> product dev specialist in preparing service manuals for
> automotive or motorsports products.
Ah yes, Cannondale expands from bicycles to motorcycles.
An idea is to have engineering procedures. Probably Cannondale does have
procedures for how technical drawings and specifications are written and
published and stored. "Drawing" is often used to mean more than something
that looks like a graphic. Rather, it's anything that defines the product,
which could be a list of part numbers. Engineering procedures should also
specify that those with design responsibility, i.e. engineers, are also
responsible for defining (and authorizing, actually) maintenance procedures,
which includes how to perform them. Once these procedures--drawings--are
created, it is pretty simple to convert them to something customers can use.
They are your rough draft. Get the responsible engineer to demonstrate and
explain what he or she meant when writing what was written, if necessary.
Read something from BMW or Mercedes. Perhaps you could code your part
numbers by groups such as engine, frame, wheels, brakes, etc. Use the same
numbering for chapters in your service manual.
And remember "caution" means you can break the equipment if instructions are
not carefully followed, and "warning" means there is risk of personal injury
if instructions are not carefully followed (equipment can be damaged at the
same time, but human injury takes precedence). Don't reinvent this.
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