I crafted a digital, scalable product manual.
As part of the launch for Orba 3, I created a brand-new, centralized digital product manual for the entire Orba family (Orba 1, 2, and 3).
The previous manuals were outdated PDFs with poor navigation and a fragmented structure.
I designed and wrote a new manual from the ground up in Freshdesk, introducing a hyperlinked table of contents, intuitive layout, and living documentation system that could scale with future product updates.
The Problem
Users were consistently frustrated by the old PDF manuals, which lacked basic features like a table of contents and clear navigation. Internally, updating the PDFs was a slow, high-friction process requiring multiple steps and people. With the launch of Orba 3, we needed a modern, user-friendly support tool that could serve all versions of the product and evolve over time.
Strategy and Execution
Consolidated Orba 1, 2, and 3 documentation into a single unified manual by identifying shared features and modular differences.
Chose Freshdesk as the platform to allow for easy hyperlinking, real-time updates, and team-wide access.
Designed a hyperlinked table of contents for seamless navigation across complex feature sets.
Referenced the Product Requirements Document (which I also authored) to ensure technical accuracy and full feature coverage.
Created clean, consistent diagrams in Adobe Illustrator to visually guide users through Orba’s hardware and software.
Results and Impact
The new manual significantly reduced customer support requests by making essential info easy to find and understand.
Improved user satisfaction, especially among new users onboarding with Orba 3.
Created a living document that empowered the Artiphon team to update content quickly and independently.
Streamlined future documentation efforts by establishing a scalable template and platform.
Takeaways
A well-designed manual isn’t just about information—it’s about usability, trust, and reducing friction.
Consolidating redundant content across products created clarity for users and efficiency for the team.
Moving to Freshdesk enabled collaborative ownership, making the documentation system more agile and sustainable.
Writing with both beginner users and power users in mind helped broaden the manual’s value.