Enhancing IS Quality through Design-based Documentation Production

User documentation occupies an ambiguous position in the information systems (IS) development process. While it is usually an indispensable item on the list of project deliverables, it is constantly seen by IS developers as unimportant in relation to the software itself. Due to its relatively low status in the eyes of many developers, it is common for user manual writing to be a post-design activity. Poor quality user manuals are a cause of user dissatisfaction: they are a social element of IS development that suffers in relation to the technical aspects.