Technical Writers vs Instructional Designers

The objective of a technical writer is to help the users in using the product. When a user is struck in understanding a feature or task, they consults the document as a reference. While an instructional designer make the user learn. The learner needs to go through the complete instructional design deliverable. If we talk about WBTs or CBTs, each and every activity of learner is tracked. The learner uses the instructional design deliverable as a textbook and not as a reference guide.
To conclude, technical writers write documents for potential users while instructional designers for potential learners.

Scenario-based learning

Scenario based learning is the becoming popular to showcase a feature of an application. Scenarios are based around actions, where you need to create a story and the characters who will perform the task in the application. 

If you tell your story effectively and create good characters, your learners become invested in that character's story, regardless of whether they're rooting for their success or their downfall. Once you have your training plan outlined and sequenced with your lessons, you are ready to begin. Introduce the character and then present her/him with a problem that they (and the learner) cannot overcome. Develop the story so that it steps the learner on a journey through the learning objectives, getting the knowledge and skill along the way to meet the challenges presented at the outset of each learning objective. 

Creative writing courses will help immensely with storytelling as well as scenario based learning, but you may also think about technical writing for complex procedures.

To learn more about scenario-based learning, view the demonstration to buy books from Amazon.com on Youtube.

Lucidchart quick start guide

Introduction

Lucidchart is an HTML5-based diagramming tool to create flowcharts, wireframes, UML diagrams, mind maps, and more. You can open this tool on a Google chrome browser and work with the team members in real time.

Installing Lucidchart

To install and configure Lucidchart with Google Drive:

1. Go to https://chrome.google.com. 
   The Chrome Web Store page appears.
2. In the Search Apps text box, type Lucidchart and press Enter. In the Apps tab, the result page displays the Lucidchart: Diagramming app. 
3. Click Install. 
   A confirmation message asks whether you want to install Lucidchart on Chrome. 
   Note: Before installing Lucidchart, sign in with your Google account.

Do you like to read a user guide or view a video tutorial?

People prefer instant help, sometime they don’t like to read the content to find the answer of their queries. It is helpful if someone shows you the steps to solve the problem, rather than navigating the user guide and troubleshoot the problem. People sometime prefer a video tutorial to view the how-to-do task.

Nowadays we get everything on mobile, prefer a video or online help for a product.  For software products, printed document will soon be past.  The internet and mobile has reduced the distance between the user and the vendor.
The product simulations and demonstrations can attract the attention of people. A technical writer can create video tutorial by using the Captivate and Articulate, these e-learning tools can also create course and quiz for the learners.

The sales personnel prefer a product demonstration for the clients and seminars. These demonstrations give a better walk through the product in a nut shell, instead of running the product. The beta version of the product might not be ready on time or create run-time error.

People can grasp the features of a product by watching the tutorial at their own time. Watching a video is always fun than reading a document.