Instructions are a funny thing. We like to claim that we can do without them, but the reality is sometimes they are necessary. However, when you actually crack open the user’s manual it’s hard to find what you are looking for. Thankfully, I have the internet and more importantly, Google. If I ever find myself in need of an answer or directions, I just search on the internet. No point in wasting time looking for the user’s manual.
Like the reading states, the reader must be able to make the connection with what they are reading and what they are using. People need to be able to visualize what they are reading and then put it into action. I’ve read directions that have enabled me to do this and it makes things much easier. For example, when I unlocked my phone, there was a step by step tutorial with pictures and descriptions of exactly what to expect. The result was a happy DigitalSHU and a more usable product.
The instructor blog #4 and chapter 20 made a good point about directions and users (audience). I know for a fact that a person with little to no experience with cars will have a hard time reading and understanding a repair shop manual. Mainly because they are written for people that have experience with vehicles and generally know what things are called and their location. I think in this case it’s ok to write directions for a primary audience only because they are the only people putting these directions into use. If the manuals are written for everyone from a middle school kid to a certified tech it would be a million pages long, making it difficult to use. This however, is why the at home manuals were created. They cover all the basic repairs and include pictures and descriptive names of parts/tools. This can be used by most people with a mechanical aptitude and even seasoned mechanics for a quick reference.
Level of Detail
I was thinking the same thing about the level of detail used in repair manuals when I read about the 'oil change incident'. I have a copy of the full service manual for my car, and it's already about 3 or 4 inches thick (and printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper). If everything were written using enough detail for a beginner, the book would have to be substantially bigger. Not only that, nobody would read it. It's obvious that separate instructions are needed not just for content's sake, but also to keep the size of the booklets within reason. I think this might be why our instructors are giving us the option of different sized paper for this project. The size of a quick reference guide will probably be formatted much differently than a beginner's manual.
Document Size
I think you make a great point about the difference in sizes between a quick reference guide and a beginner's manual. Aside from the document size, I think it's important to point out that although we don't have this to consider in our project, how the book is bound makes a big difference too. If I'm going to need the book to lay open while I'm working with something, then I definitely don't want a paperback manual. I want something spiral bound, or hardback, like the Thompson Manual. Someone else made a good comment in their blog about using the manual, but on a computer screen. Pdfs in 8.5 x 11 don't fit well on the screen and you can't see the whole page at once without scrolling. So, if you're going to want the instructions up on the screen while you're wroking on something else, they could be designed to fit in a smaller window that can be up on the side, like the Microsoft Word help column on the right, for example.
Kristin
instruction manuals versus Google
Your point about Google is interesting, and I think it's something to which many of us can relate. We might think about this issue: why is it that many of us just Google for a response to a specific query rather than going through the manual? How do the two resources work differently? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Because we are tasked with producing written instructions, we might think if its possible to incorporate some of Google's strengths into a different format.
Google
I think the reason we use Google as a substitution for a manual is for a couple of reasons. For one, I think many of us are lazy and typing a few simple words into Google would give us the desired result. I also believe we are dependent on Google and the internet for all of the answers. When was the last time any of us went to a library to do research within books? I know I haven't done that for many years. A problem with manuals is that they are usually very large and we do not want to sift through information that is written to someone in a business scenario. With Google we can hopefully find a document that jumps straight to the point and perhaps has a bit of personality to it.
Searchability
One of the reasons that people use Google instead of reading the manual is because Google is searchable. Paper documents are not searchable. You can't just find all mentions of the word "bolt". Well, you can if you find the same manual online, usually as a PDF file, but most people don't know they can do that. People have invented computers which can reorganize and index information on the fly based on our needs. I won't mind getting some item where the manual consists of the following: "go to http://www.blah.com/foo/bar.htm" where the instructions are located.
Search Engines
Depending on the task, Google may not always be the best tool for finding instructions. Take car repair for example. Not all cars are built the same, and some repairs are unique to certain vehicles. Therefore I think that a dedicated set of instructions from the manufacturer may be the best option in certain cases. The issue of reliability also arises with internet searches, because you don't know the credentials of the authors in many cases. If their instructions cause you to break something or become injured, then it's unlikely that you can hold them accountable. However, if you are issued bad instructions by the manufacturer, you can consult them for further assistance or even part replacement. The likelihood of receiving bad instructions from a manufacturer is also reduced because their goal is to make them accurate. Depending on the complexity of the task or the uniqueness of the product, Google may or may not be the best resource for instructions. Furthermore, if you are writing instructions that will be available on the internet, I think that the technical description is very important. I don't know exactly how the search engine works, but I think that a clear and concise description will give your document a greater chance of being returned as a search result.
save trees use Google
When I use Google for instructions or a reference it is usually because I’m looking for a specific number or specification. In most cases it’s much easier to use Google as a quick reference, compared to finding the book and then searching through it. What is that conversion factor I need? Google. What size injectors should I use to run ethanol? Google. Google has to ability to access so much information it really is a waste of time not to use it. As long as the user has a the ability to properly search, it can be found using Google.