This document provides best practices for creating effective instruction manuals. It discusses analyzing the task and intended audience to understand purpose and user needs. Key sections of a manual are outlined such as introduction, overview, instructions, troubleshooting. Guidelines are given for visual elements, organization, writing style, and ensuring usability through design considerations like chunking, labeling, and parallel structure. The document emphasizes performing a full audience analysis, using precise language and formatting, and including only necessary and accurate details, warnings, and visual aids.

1. INSTRUCTION MANUALS
Best practices for documenting
user instructions and creating
user manuals

2. INSTRUCTIONS
Documents to help a reader
complete a task
• Actions - personnel (behavior)
• Assembly - objects/mechanism
• Operation - equipment
• Implementation of a process

3. TASK & AUDIENCE
ANALYSES
Be clear about purpose
• Regardless of user, task is same
• What exactly will user be able to
do?
• Caution users by incorporating
guidelines/materials needed
• What knowledge/experience do
users need?

6. DO A FULL AUDIENCE
ANALYSIS
Complete this form and translate to prose
Know how this analysis affects the instructions, i.e.
User attitude - justify steps or entire doc?
User education - tech level, defs, visuals?
User experience - prior knowledge, details?
TRANSLATE TO PROSE

7. DESIGN
Consider:
• Quality of paper
• Frequency of use
• Ease of usability
• Chunking
• Labeling
• Parallel structure

8. ORGANIZING A MANUAL
What sections are needed?
• Introduction
• Background (identify intended users) “These
instructions are for technical writing students
who will produce analytical reports…”
• Info about how to use manual
• Overview, general defs, description, and
functions of the equipment process
• Theory of operations for those who need to know
why, not just what
• Project history

9. SECTIONS (cont’d)
Instructions
• Actual steps to perform task - be
sure they are logical, sequential
and clear
• Choose a consistent structure
• Consider time element

10. SUPPORT
Frequent Users’ Guide
• List summarizing steps
• Placement (follows full
instructions)
• Consider use - plastic cover?
Trouble-shooting & Maintenance
• Anticipate (use testing to
discover)
• Matrix

11. DEVICES FOR LOCATING
INFORMATION
Table of Contents
Pagination - consider dual #s
Previews and Reviews
Cross References
Glossary
Index - alphabetical list and
page numbers - for longer docs

12. CONTENT ELEMENTS
Precise Title - includes purpose:
“Operation Manual for Regal Slow
Cooker” - may use visuals
Necessary components: parts,
equipment, materials, steps,
accurate chronology
Clear, direct working definitions
-parenthetical in steps, glossary or
appendix, and consistent
terminology

13. Content Elements
(cont’d)
Accurate relevant details only
Appropriate justifications - Is
rationale needed for step?
Necessary Warnings and
Cautions
Style and Grammar conventions

14. DICTION
Use verb instead of noun for actual
steps, “Turn lever…,” not “Lever
should be turned…”
Be consistent
Include appropriate details
Include rationale for steps only if
task/audience analysis indicates
(consider personal injury)

15. Diction (cont’d)
Warnings - death or danger
Cautions - hazards
Dangers - immediate
Label & separate visually
Identify the risk
Describe the risk
Provide instructions to avoid

16. VISUAL AND DESIGN
ELEMENTS
Illustrate parts, sequence of steps,
positioning of operator/equipment,
development of change of object
Appropriate visuals used only as needed
(flowchart, diagrams, infographics)
Include textual ref, I.d., title
Balanced visual and verbal content
accurate visuals, easily understood
Labeled visuals with relevant text
Appealing, usable format