Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a key reason that manuals and instructions are considered vital marketing tools?
What is a key reason that manuals and instructions are considered vital marketing tools?
Which audience does the term 'general public' refer to in the context of manuals?
Which audience does the term 'general public' refer to in the context of manuals?
What does the term 'reinforcement' refer to in the context of instructional manuals?
What does the term 'reinforcement' refer to in the context of instructional manuals?
Which method is NOT mentioned as a way to show stepwise development in manuals?
Which method is NOT mentioned as a way to show stepwise development in manuals?
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What is emphasized as a crucial aspect of the structure and layout of manuals?
What is emphasized as a crucial aspect of the structure and layout of manuals?
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Why is it important to use simple language in manuals?
Why is it important to use simple language in manuals?
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What should authors avoid assuming about users when writing manuals?
What should authors avoid assuming about users when writing manuals?
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What is the primary goal of keeping instructions simple?
What is the primary goal of keeping instructions simple?
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Study Notes
ELP 407 Instructions & Manuals
- Course is ELP 407
- Topics are Instructions & Manuals
- Instructor is Dr. Norah Almusharraf
- Date is 12/15/2024
Documents to Consider
- One-page assembly instructions for a toy
- Information booklet for a sewing machine
- Computer software manual
- Brochure from local council, automated rubbish truck procedures
- Note from a colleague explaining a job role
Importance of Documents
- Documents are vital marketing tools for products
- Poorly written documents lead to lost sales (for potential and current customers)
- Documents have legal implications
- Ambiguous, confusing, or incorrect information may lead to legal issues (e.g., lawsuits)
Audience
- Everyone (but not a helpful generalisation)
- Two types of manuals
- General: for the public (e.g., washing machine manual)
- Technical: for a specific group (e.g., service manual, employee procedures)
Structure and Layout
- Key qualities are accessibility and user-friendliness
Logical Development
- Steps are important to follow for any manual or set of instructions to be logical
- Steps are
- Sequence
- Start-to-stop
- Simple-to-complex
- Input-to-output
- Outside-to-inside
- Case studies, tutorials, examples, scenarios
- Reinforcement
- Don't assume prior knowledge
- Repeat information
- Cross-reference
- Prior knowledge alerts
- Visual and text repetition
- Simplicity
- Sequence
Simplicity
- Keep it simple
Language & Rapport
- Simple language
- Short sentences/paragraphs
- Simple sentences
- Active voice
- Use "you" to create conversational tone
A Writing-Editing Sequence for Usability
- Usability is the extent to which a document or process is understood and used
- A writing-editing process involves;
- Product design and process
- Research
- First draft
- Naive user review
- Second draft
- Expert review
- Printing and distribution
- Ongoing evaluation
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Description
Test your knowledge on the creation and significance of effective instructions and manuals in the ELP 407 course. This quiz covers key documents like assembly instructions, software manuals, and their importance in marketing and legal contexts.
