Prompt lesson · 18 prompts
User Guides and Help Files prompts for Technical Writers
18 ready-to-use prompts from our AI for Technical Writers course. Copy one, fill in the {{placeholders}}, and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
Create Onboarding Guides
Use this when you need to generate a clear, step-by-step onboarding guide to help new users quickly become productive with a product or service.
Role — You are a senior technical writer specializing in user onboarding. Your goal is to create clear, step-by-step onboarding guides that help new users quickly become productive with a product.
Context you provide
- {{product name}} — The name of the product (e.g., Slack, Trello).
- {{product type}} — What kind of product it is (e.g., mobile app, e-commerce platform, desktop software).
- {{target audience}} — (Optional) Who the guide is for (e.g., new employees, end customers).
- {{key features to cover}} — (Optional) Specific features or workflows to include.
Instructions
- First, ask for any missing information from the list above. If none is provided, ask clarifying questions before proceeding.
- Research typical onboarding needs for similar products.
- Structure the guide logically: introduction, step-by-step instructions for account setup and first use, best practices, troubleshooting, and next steps.
- Use plain language and include visual cues in text (e.g., "Click the gear icon").
- Tailor the depth to the target audience.
Output format — A complete onboarding guide in sections, using headings and bullet points where helpful. Tone: professional yet friendly. Length: 500–800 words.
Guardrails
- Do not invent features or screenshots for the product. If you lack details, state assumptions and ask for confirmation.
- Stay within the scope of onboarding; do not include advanced usage unless requested.
- Ensure instructions are platform-neutral unless the user specifies a platform.
Example
- {{product name}}: "Asana", {{product type}}: "project management web app", {{target audience}}: "new team members", {{key features to cover}}: "creating tasks, assigning tasks, setting deadlines"
Open this prompt Writing · Intermediate
Create Step-by-Step User Guides
Use this when you need to produce clear, structured user documentation or troubleshooting instructions for a product, system, or common task.
Role — You are a technical writer who optimises for clarity, accuracy, and usability in step-by-step user documentation.
Context you provide
- {{guide_topic}} — the task, software, or issue the guide will cover (e.g., setting up an email account).
- {{audience_level}} — the user's familiarity with the product or subject.
- {{environment_details}} — device, operating system, software version, or other relevant setup information.
- {{desired_outcomes}} — anything the user should be able to do after following the guide.
Instructions
- If any context is missing, ask for the missing specifics before writing.
- Break the process into numbered, single-action steps in chronological order.
- Include setup prerequisites, configuration choices, and clear warnings or troubleshooting tips at the right moments.
- Use the supplied {{environment_details}} to make instructions concrete and reduce ambiguity.
- Review the guide for logical flow and readability, then flag anything that may vary by user setup.
Output format — Provide a structured Markdown guide with a title, prerequisites, numbered steps, optional notes, and common mistakes to avoid. Write in plain, friendly language; keep each step as short as possible.
Guardrails — Do not invent menu names, commands, or settings; if a detail is unknown, mark it as needing confirmation. Flag assumptions about the user's prior knowledge. Stay focused on the requested {{guide_topic}}.
Example — {{guide_topic}} = setting up a new email account; {{audience_level}} = non-technical beginner; {{environment_details}} = Windows 11 and iOS 17; {{desired_outcomes}} = send and receive email within 15 minutes.
Open this prompt Writing · Beginner
Create Troubleshooting Guides
Use this when you need clear, step-by-step guides that help users solve common product or software issues.
Open this prompt Creating · Beginner
Create User Feedback Forms
Use this when you need to design a feedback form to collect user insights about a product or service.
Open this prompt Creating · Beginner
Generate a Comprehensive FAQ Section
Use this when you need to create a clear, user-friendly FAQ section for a product, service, or website.
Open this prompt Writing · Beginner
Generate Comprehensive User FAQs
Use this when you need to create a list of frequently asked questions with clear answers for a product or service.
Open this prompt Writing · Beginner
Generate Contextual Help Pop-Up Content
Use this when you need to create concise, clear help pop-up text for specific features or issues in a software application.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
Interactive User Guide Creation
Use this when you need to generate step-by-step instructions with interactive troubleshooting tips for a product or software.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
Knowledge Base Article Creation
Use this when you need to write clear, step-by-step knowledge base articles for common user queries or technical issues.
Open this prompt Writing · Intermediate
Product Walkthrough Guide
Use this when you need to create a detailed, user-friendly walkthrough for a product or application.
Open this prompt Writing · Intermediate
Technical Content Review and Editing
Use this when you need to proofread and refine technical user guides for clarity and accuracy.
Open this prompt Communication · Intermediate
Technical Document Formatting and Organization
Use this when you need to structure and format technical documentation for clarity, usability, and ease of navigation.
Open this prompt Communication · Beginner
Translate and Localize User Documentation
Use this when you need to translate user guides, help files, or documentation into multiple languages while maintaining technical accuracy and cultural relevance.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
Troubleshooting Flowchart Designer
Use this when you need to create a step-by-step troubleshooting flowchart to guide users through resolving common issues.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
User Manual Revision and Update
Use this when you need to revise, update, or simplify user manuals for a product, ensuring accuracy and clarity as features evolve.
Open this prompt Writing · Intermediate
User Persona Creation
Use this when you need to create detailed user personas to tailor your documentation, guides, or product design to your target audience.
Open this prompt Creating · Beginner
Video Tutorial Scriptwriter
Use this when you need to script a clear, engaging video tutorial for a software feature or technical process.
Open this prompt Creating · Intermediate
Write Complete API Documentation
Use this when you need clear, developer-ready API documentation for endpoints, parameters, authentication, and integration workflows.
Open this prompt Writing · Intermediate