(+39) 335 707 8284 [email protected]

Operation and Maintenance Manuals

by | EN 82079, Highlight, Manuals, Methodology

What should an Operation and maintenance manual say? Whatever format you choose, how should this document be structured to adequately cover its objectives? Regarding operating instructions or information for equipment and machinery, there is the international standard IEC/IEEE 82079, which is an excellent reference for creating an operating and maintenance manual, even if it is not already required by existing standards or contracts to be followed.

Let’s try to summarize this standard.

Spirit of the IEC/IEEE 82079 standard

The user documentation, basically the instructions for use, is a part of the product. It must provide the information necessary for recipients, to use the product safely, efficiently, and effectively for all intended tasks and purposes, highlighting any reasonably foreseeable misuse.

The user information, which we will simply refer to as the manual, must be complete, accurate, concise, understandable, and accessible. In general, the principles of minimalism are valid for technical communication

Content

The IEC/IEEE 82079 standard specifies a number of content requirements. Let’s see what they are:

  • References of the product supplier.
  • Indication of the importance of the instructions, with a recommendation to keep a copy on hand.
  • Explanation of safety signs, graphic symbols (according to international standards), pictograms, conventions and markings on the product and packaging.
  • Safety instructions, which should be clearly and consistently stated in a separate clause or section at the beginning of the manual. Special precautions should be taken for special audiences, such as children and the elderly. Emphasis should be placed on reports of personal injury or property damage.
  • Meaning of acronyms, abbreviations, and technical terms.
  • The general description of the product and a representative illustration.
  • The technical specifications of the product, including accessories, consumables and spare parts supplied or to be purchased.
  • Appropriate clarification of legal, safety, or technical requirements that prohibit installation, operation, or maintenance of the product by unqualified persons. Qualifications, competencies, skills, and required training must be clearly identified.
  • Procedures for the following activities:
    1. Transportation and storage.
    2. Unpacking and repacking.
    3. Installation and commissioning.
    4. Use, with all restrictions.
    5. Exception and emergency management.
    6. Error detection, with indication on warning signs.
    7. Maintenance, with indication of the appropriate personnel for the task.
    8. Troubleshooting and possible repair/replacement of parts.
    9. Uninstallation, disassembly, and recycling.
  • Information regarding the security and privacy of personal data processed.

General principles

IEC/IEEE 82079 also recommends some techniques for presenting information:

  • Use consistent terminology that helps avoid ambiguity.
  • Plan to make it easy to find information with convenient navigation.
  • Use a consistent structure for procedural instructions: preliminary information, operating steps, and follow up information.
  • Choose a durable physical or virtual medium and a readable manual format based on the needs of the recipients and the foreseeable context of use.
  • Include clear illustrations designed to enhance the clarity of the text.
  • Organize data into clear information tables with a consistent layout.
  • Be careful when using colors to highlight specific information.
  • Add clear and unambiguous icons.
  • Provide durable and highly visible warnings.

Specific requirements

IEC/IEEE 82079 also recommends evaluation and verification for cases where regulatory or contractual requirements typical of specific industries and markets apply to usage information. This part essentially demands a review for completeness and effectiveness by technical and legal experts, with special attention to risk analysis, the process of developing information content, and the qualifications and skills of technical writers.

Getting Started

Having summarized the general directions of the standard, how do we put them into practice to create a complete and effective manual? The best advice is to start with a professional template in the format of your choice, whether PDF, HTML, or other, that efficiently and comprehensively guides the development of content. The skills of an experienced technical writer can ensure the quality of the result throughout the preparation, drafting, and review process.

If you are interested in this topic, please contact us. We can provide you with a free, in-depth study that may be helpful to you.

Experience the Power of AI: A Practical Guide to Implementing a Successful Business Chatbot
Introduction Adopting a business chatbot that can provide fast, multilingual access to technical documentation through a conversational interface is an innovative strategy. This approach optimizes operational efficiency and improves information management within the...
Modular Content in Business Communication

Modular content is an innovative strategy for content management and creation. It consists of breaking down complex content into reusable modules that can be combined to create effective and engaging customer experiences. These modules, like building blocks, provide efficiency, flexibility, customization, and SEO optimization where needed.

Multi-language Virtual Assistant
Innovation for your business: Multilingual Virtual Assistant Find out how you can simplify access to information and improve support for your customers with our multilingual virtual assistant. Why Choose Our Virtual Assistant? Gets instant access to the information in...
Business growth strategy with high-quality technical content

A recent report details nearly 100 million user sessions in 136 countries, providing a comprehensive picture of user behavior around technical content. The results underscore the critical importance of delivering high-quality, well-structured content to capture interest, support customers and employees, and drive efficient and automated usage that results in significant operational savings.

Chatbot for accessing company documentation
Wouldn't you like to have a virtual assistant that can instantly locate a piece of documentation data by asking a simple question, even verbally? For example, to solve urgent problems or find information about products or services scattered in multiple documents. And...
Cybersecurity Guides

Today, it is essential to have a cybersecurity strategy and proper documentation. In this situation, having professional expertise is beneficial for creating new documents using robust, tested templates and for understanding how to utilize the right tools to manage all the sensitive technical information effectively.

Writing a style guide

Style guides give you the ability to present your brand or product in a polished and consistent manner. They save time by providing immediate answers to recurring doubts and questions, and are a necessary reference for new employee training.

Online Help for Software applications

The Online Help system is the user guide that is instantly available for user assistance. The software application looks serious and trustworthy, builds trust, gives users full autonomy, and reduces support calls.

API documentation

Investing in API documentation allows vendors to provide the best experience for customers who demand ease of use and therefore complete and accurate documentation. Click here to learn more about how a technical writer can make a difference.

Structured documentation with CCMS

Modern tools for developing documentation exist to ensure an optimized and structured approach, resulting in improved quality and reduced costs. What are they? Find out here.

Writing to communicate value

How to write well to reduce support requests, complaints, risk of damage, and malfunctions? And to be able to improve image and reduce the costs of training and supporting?

ChatBots and artificial intelligence: writing today for tomorrow’s applications

Writing today with the new tools of artificial intelligence in mind is timely and forward-looking, and immediately improves the quality of classic manuals.

Discover our services

We can offer you consultancy, training, digitalisation…

Do you need more information?

Briefly describe your needs, we will respond shortly with the most suitable solution or service.

Share This
Avvia chat
Ciao 👋
Come possiamo aiutarti?