Motivating end users to read the user manual

[Lea Rush]

Our structure is similar. I maintain the manuals for the hardware and
software associated with the laboratory equipment manufactured by my
company. We have Quick Starts and "Smart Cards" for the most basic operation
of both. I find that writing for visual learners is helped best by lots and
lots of photos/screenshots (which creates its own issues, of course), verbal
learners can be helped with detailed instructions, and the kinesthetic
learners like the Smart Cards. I'm still working on simplifying my English,
but I'm making progress.

 

Lea

 

 

 

_________________________________ 

Lea Rush 

Software and Documentation Specialist 

Astoria-Pacific International 

PO Box 830 Clackamas OR 97015 

PH: 800-657-3010 

FAX:  503-655-7367 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Sharon Burton
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 7:22 AM
To: 'Shmuel Wolfson'; 'Garnier Garnier'; 'Framers'
Subject: RE: Motivating end users to read the user manual

 

Have you considered sitting with the users and asking them what the issues

are and why they don't like the materials? Don't defend what you've done,

listen to why these materials are not doing what you think they should be

doing. Ask questions, lots of questions.

 

It could be as easy as they are visual learners and they need flow charts

and other graphics. It could be as complicated as they never see the

training materials because those get locked away somewhere. Perhaps Job Aids

and Quick Starts would help. 

 

But until you talk to the users and find out what they need that they aren't

getting, you're only guessing. You don't get to decide the docs are

sufficient, tho - your users get to decide that. 

 

 

sharon

 

Sharon Burton

951-369-8590

IM: sharonvburton at yahoo.com

Blog: madcapsoftware.wordpress.com

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com

[mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Shmuel Wolfson

Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 6:47 AM

To: Garnier Garnier; Framers

Subject: Re: Motivating end users to read the user manual

 

The fact is that people don't like to read. Exhaustive training material 

is "exhaustive" to read.

 

If there are specific "do"s and "don't"s that are *not* intuitive, make 

a short 1-3 page list, print it on color paper, and put it in the box 

with the product. That they might read.

 

-- 

Regards,

Shmuel Wolfson

Technical Writer

052-763-7133

 

Garnier Garnier wrote:

> Hi listers,

> 

> I would like some feedback on this issue which I am sure most of us face.

Please write to me directly as most of the time the mails form forums

bounces and I do not receive them. Not sure about the reason. 

> 

> I put in a lot of effort to create an exhaustive training material. It

includes all information in detail and all the steps too are documentented

in simple English. The training material is very technical and includes all

the required details and instructions. Still none of the engineers bother to

read the contents and when they are at the customer site for training they

start complaining that nothing is working. The engineers are familiar with

the product no doubt about it but there are certain "do's" that they ought

to know and which is documented in the training material which none bother

to read. 

> 

> I welcome suggestions for improvement in the document or otherwise that

will prompt the end user to read the training material contents instead

simply complaining "nothing is working". 

> 

> B/R 

> Garnier

> 

 

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