Instruction manuals are like keys to a castle. The beautifully made, well-designed product is within reach, but you ccan’taccess it without the right key. You can try to bang on the door to let yourself in or climb through a window. While these tactics may work, they are an inefficient use of your time and energy. Having the key allows you to access what you need within the castle most effectively.
Unfortunately, when many people think of an instruction manual, they think of an overly complicated folded piece of paper with hard-to-understand drawings and designs. While these manuals may be commonplace for IKEA furnishings, that doesn’t mean you must replicate this type of manual for your business! Many companies are forgoing printed manuals altogether or, at the very least, putting them online so customers can access them from anywhere.
If you’re reading this, chances are you need to design a purposeful and effective instruction manual. Below is your step-by-step guide for making a digital manual as useful as an adorned key to Buckingham Palace.
1. Know Your End Goal
Before you begin step one, you need to know your end goal. Who is your audience, and what are you trying to communicate? Are the readers familiar with your product, or are you showing them a brand new, innovative solution? How many steps are needed, and do they need to be followed to reach the desired end goal? Answering these questions will allow you to better focus on the type of manual you’ll create.
It can also be helpful for readers of your manual to know the end goal before they dive into your instructions. Showing parents what the completed Barbie doll house looks like, for example, gives them a better sense of the outcome. The same goes for a new software technology. Outlining how incorporating this technology can improve their workflow will motivate them to follow through on your instructions.
2. Make it Simple
If you’ve ever assembled a piece of IKEA furniture, you know that not all instruction manuals are easy to understand. Even if you have laid out all the pieces and have set aside ample time to construct the new bookshelf, the manual can become irritating. To help your customers avoid this frustrating situation, keep simplicity in mind. If the steps are too vague, your readers won’t know what you are asking them. And if the steps are too convoluted, you may lose them during the process.
This is a fine line to balance, where imagery can come into play. The beauty of a digital instruction manual is that you aren’t limited to black-and-white sketches on a page. For instance, you can take real images from your software platform and show readers how to get from step one to step two. A third-party screenshot app can assist you in taking a screenshot and annotating it. An annotated screenshot can elevate your manual experience, leading to a more efficient, streamlined guide.
Pair an annotated screenshot with a short, concise sentence about how to access a part of the software platform. This way, you’re communicating more effectively with different learning styles. Some people understand better by seeing something and following the process accordingly, while others may be able to read something and follow the steps. Regardless, adding a screenshot can also break up the sheer amount of text on the page and provide some visual cues.
3. Be Consistent
Whether writing an instruction manual for fixing an iPhone glitch or installing a light fixture, you want consistency. This means following the same structure and format throughout. Hopping from bullet points to sentence structure can be confusing. The same goes for adding too much detail or even too many illustrations. Having a template and following it for each of your products provides a sense of consistency to your users.
A digital instruction manual’s most commonly used sections include an introduction, step-by-step instructions, visual aids, related resources, documentation, and troubleshooting. Take these sections and lay out what you need to communicate and the best wa to do it. From there, think about the most concise way to relay your needs. Use the same language throughout — such as “click” or “press” but not interchangeably — to avoid confusion. Keep the same spacing and borders and make the font easy to read using constant typography, such as Times New Roman or Helvetica.
Takeaways
Writing an instruction manual can be a tedious task. However, the more time you spend on it now, the less time you’ll have to answer confused, irritated consumers’ questions in the future. A brand that focuses on its manual tells its customers that it wants them to have a good experience with its product. With a digital manual, you can get your message across in an improved manner, and you’re also able to update it as needed. Follow these tips to create a final product that you and your customers will find valuable.
