Assignment:
How many of you have ever ignored the user manual that came with your new purchase? Assembled the bike (or grill, or home entertainment system...) without using the instructions?
How many of you have used the instructions, and found them more confusing than helpful?
Are we just too stupid to be able to figure it out? Of course not. The problem is usually that the user manuals often lose sight of their target audience. This can create result in manuals that:
Provide incomplete information
Provide too much information, distracting us from what's important
Contain language and terminology that is too technical for its audience
Are translated into other languages poorly, resulting in confusing instructions
We've all come across manuals that are not helpful. What good is a manual that nobody uses? Companies pay a lot of money to write, design, print, and distribute these manuals. So if the manuals aren't being used, they are a waste of $$ (something most companies are very concerned about).
So how can these manuals be improved? Your assignment is to select a manual (for an appliance, cell phone, electronics, assembly-required item...) and evaluate its effectiveness. You can use the same standards we're applying to our group project .How is the formatting? Is the information clearly presented? Are the graphics helpful? What's missing? Is the safety information visible and clear?
Write a one-page evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen manual, including any suggestions for changes.