Instructions... Who needs them?

ymyang's picture

As I started to read though these articles, I began to think of the same impressions the last time I had to follow documented instructions. I, like most mechanically raised individuals, ignore them for as long as I can and try to understand the objective myself. The reason many people choose to do this is not because they want to prove they are smarter than the apparatus (however I may be guilty of this), but because the instructions that are provided are so unappealing to the type of audience that typically read them. Some of the reasons they are unattractive may be they cosmetically do not appeal to the audience or they have too much technical jargon that intimidates the readers.

One of the first things we were taught from TCT was to point out the individuals that are responsible for reading the material. Our core values from the beginning of class are arguably not being executed correctly from the part of industry documenting instruction. An important detail Chapter 20 suggests is not to overestimate the skill level of the audience. I find this to be the most valuable when creating proper instructions for objectives. The best example that has difficulty with this problem is older audiences. I see a lot of electrical devices in my parents hands come Christmas and they spend a humorous amount of time deciphering the instruction manuals. I usually give it about ten minutes till I start pushing buttons.

My parents also bring me to the next interesting point Chapter 20 touches in relation to audiences: cross cultural readers. My parents were raised in South Korea but understand a healthy amount of English. For the most part, they can only follow conversational English because that is what they have been exposed to while in the states. Reading technical documents creates a larger understanding gap. But given the nature of diversity in the US, the cross cultural audience member should be within the category of the primary reader.

Who needs instructions.

I am also guilty of trying to skip the instructions and doing things on my own until I absolutely have to read things. Like you said, one of the main reasons I choose to do this is because a lot of instructions are not appealing to look at and I have had bad experiences that make me not want to use them even more. I like your example with your parents. I have had many experiences with that same sort of thing. I have even had to write step by step instructions to show my dad how to use basically any type of electrical device made after the 1980’s. Its fun to watch the struggle and frustration sometimes though.

Those Dumb Directions

dbasso's picture

Yeah I will always feel like i am smarter than the direction too, but I usually get lost in a step and have to read the entire thing anyways. The example of your parents reading instruction manuals is a great cross-cultural example. I think that you are right that cross cultural audience should be within the category of the primary reader and not the secondary reader. The cross cultural market is almost as big as the market within the country. Also if a person eventually moves to another country and has to adapt to another language like your parents did, I hope that they have an easy transition with instruction manuals. The frustration of starting a new language and cultural can be enough on a person. If that person has to then look at the TV instruction manual in another language the person is eventually going to lose it.

Fourthly....

Joey M.'s picture

I am in the same boat as all three of you, being mechanically inclined also I feel like when I get something that comes with instructions or needs to be assembled that I can always do it myself just from looking at the pieces. Most of the time I can do without the use of complicated instructions that take a million too many steps, but sometimes with more complex object/machines I have had to look through instructions for the correct answer.

I would say that most of the time instructions are pretty pointless to me and I would use them more often if the information was not so hard to sift through to get the information that you want.

It's just technology

DigitalSHU's picture

I agree with your comment about instructions and older audiences. It is obvious that we have much more experience with electronics and technology than the “older” age group and it definitely gives us the upper hand. We have the experience playing with all the electronics and have a certain “feel” for how things work. I don’t think the older generation has that. They look at using these devices in a totally different way and the directions written for them definitely don’t reflect that. However, no matter how good the instructions become, I still don’t think there is any substitute for experience and the will to just put the manual down and try the device.

Difficult Knowledge Range

Chris's picture

I think that you are touching on a key problem to writing instructions here. It is impossible to make a perfect instruction manual since there will be vast differences in knowledge with a product. You have to start basic enough that someone can understand. At the same time if you start with too simple of stuff your making worthless instructions for a more advanced user. I think this is probably one of the most difficult things about writing instructions.

-Chris

The Trouble with Perfect

Nathaniel's picture

The issue of perfection raised here is similar to our discussion of it during the employment project. There can be no such thing as a perfect, singular set of instructions. We can only hope for a range of instruction sets that satisfy particular audiences in particular contexts. The perfect set of instructions turns out to be multiple sets of instructions.