Evaluation of company user instructions - Essay Example

? Evaluation of Company Instructions Number and of the Memo The User Experience Research Manager From: User Experience Researcher  Subject: Evaluation of Company User Instructions Date: 16 April 2011 The purpose of this memo is to analyze the audience of the company instructions, evaluate the company instructions found at the company website, and then make necessary recommendations on how to improve the usability of the instructions. The instructions to be evaluated relate to the use of tooth brush and may be retrieved from http://www.kk-shiken.co.jp/e/menu/howtouse.html. Background: Audience Analysis, Use Profile and the Intended Reader of the Memo Our company deals with the manufacturing of tooth brushes. Our products are manufactured and meant for both local usage and for export to other countries. Therefore our intended customers are people of different cultures and speak different languages. It is for this reason that we translate the instructions into different languages according to the destination of the batch released for export. The products normally have a comprehensive user guide manual that outlines to the intended user how to consume our product in order to realize the best result. We export our products to countries like Germany, South Africa, Spain, Italy and Japan. Our target users are: people of all ages, ranging from children, adolescents, adults and the elderly; the illiterate; and literate. Basically all people. Instructions that are written carefully are both important to the consumer and the manufacturer. The consumer will attain the best out of it while the manufacturer stands a chance of likely gains accruing from well designed and written instructions. When the company launched a new set of tooth brushes that came with a unique type of handle shape and size of the brush head, the management sought to change the type of instructions written on the package including the design of the packets that hold the tooth brushes. Particularly there was inaccuracy in the instructions and low quality of pictures that portrayed the explanation on the use safe of the product. The only channel that manufacturers use to direct their consumers on how to use their products is through giving instructions, it must be clear to the point. An instruction must be free from ambiguity and duplicity in order to carry out the task well. Furthermore, users rely on well written instructions whenever they do not understand something other than seeking the manufacturer physically or through other means of communication which might prove to be expensive. The instructions were characterized with omission of key actions and false statements that could have misled our intended users. For instance, in reference on how to lean the front when using the tooth brush, the degree must have been mistakenly written as 54 degrees instead of 45 degrees; as the former is unreasonably too high in the circumstances. There was also an error on how to move the brush in one step when it was instructed as left and right instead of up and down. Since the memo will be read by a very busy manager, the contents are direct to the point and do not need deep explanation. The research manager already has some background on what the company manufactures and to redesign the company’s instruction. Evaluation and Recommendations Considering that there could be first time consumers of our product, it would have amounted to a gross loss and a complete show of unreliable instructions. This could even amount to a negative market externality which would consequently affect the volume of products sold. Misleading product instructions, although in our case has lesser health impacts, can be treated as a hazard to the health of consumers or even the environment. For instance, if disposal methods are misleading yet the product is harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly. Another instruction that was written poorly or rather displayed incorrectly was the picture of the position of the tooth brush in the mouth. Pictures speak for themselves but the explanation that followed was contracting the picture. This instruction should have come before the picture. Considering that the target user of the product was to keenly follow this instruction, and then the person would have been totally misled. Users must be guided on how to use products no matter how simple the product might be during usage like a tooth brush that we manufacture. Some of the reasons why consumers must be well instructed on product use include safety, convenience, impact, effectiveness and efficiency. One should not assume that the users have experience in consuming the product before or have come into conduct with someone who has used it many times. By writing simple instructions and easy guidelines does not make the company less superior to others. In determining what the audience might want to know, one must know the reason why the users need the instruction and how they will use the instructions. The language they understand must be put into consideration when writing an instruction. For instance, does your audience speak French or English? On the other hand it is important to have baseline information about the user’s understanding of the product or the service. This will help in arriving at the amount of information to be captured in the instructions (Flesch, 1949). Steps which seem to be complicated must be identified at the initial stage and emphasis given when explaining the instructions for such complicated actions. There are some instances when reading of instructions once is enough for the user to work with the product consecutively without references to the instruction again. Such must be considered as they influence the volume of instructions given. The company must also consider whether electricity will be required for one to read the instruction, and the place where the instruction will be taken. That is, the instruction might be read at home or at the busy work places. When instructions are written carefully, adverse effects on health including damage are prevented. There is general knowledge that preventing occurrence of an injury is better and cheaper than tackling the problem created. In many scenarios, injury resulting from the use of a product can be attributed to either the user ignoring the well written instructions or the guidelines were complicated and difficult for the user to comprehend. On the other hand lawsuits can be taken on the company to bear the social cost that the company causes to its customers. To avoid such costs, instructions need to be accurate, thorough, legally proper, carefully organized, clearly written and consistent. If it is possible, it is the responsibility of the manufacturers to warn users of the adverse effects of ignoring instructions. Users are also set to gain from efficiency that comes with taking precautions and following instructions as they are provided. In addition, instructions which are not confusing make the user’s job easier. The user does not strain or become frustrated and stressed because they are defeated to follow instructions. Good instructions also depict that the product is of very high quality and do not inconvenient them. There is more to be improved in the manner in which the company relays its instructions to the users. This is vital in addition to the revision of the instructions. More pictures need to be employed to enhance illustration in the company’s instructions. The company should also adopt the paragraph format. In doing so, the instructions will be more attractive in that they already have each step with a visual supply (Gunning, 1968). Along with that, the steps of the instructions should be numbered in order to be easy to follow. The visual aspects of the instructions should not be ignored since they help one to follow the guidelines more easily. For clearly well written steps, each should virtually begin with a strong action word. On the other hand the steps should not include more than one action. Words should also not be contracted when giving an instruction guideline as this may be over looked by the reader prompting use of a completely opposite action. In addition, when a complex step has been mentioned, two or more pictures illustrating the action required should be provided. Since a number of the consumers for the company are scattered in different countries, the instructions provided must be focused to face the worldwide audience. These diverse audiences must be put into consideration when designing the instructions (LIPUS , 2006). Therefore, the instructions must be in simple language, plain and in international English or other language. The visuals must be culturally relevant and appropriate. The choice of colors must be carefully done. In other cultures colors may different meanings. An external evaluator should also be out sourced to review the instructions. A product’s instruction manual therefore must be properly done. The face of the company is represented by the instruction manual hence should be taken as a company’s way of show casing concern to the users. References Flesch, R. (1949). The art of readable writing. New York: Harper and Row. Gunning R. (1968). Techniques of clear writing. New York: McGraw Hill. Lipus, T. (2006, November). International consumer protection: writing adequate instructions for global audiences. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 36 (1), 75 – 91. SHIKEN, Inc. (n.d.).How to use a toothbrush properly. Tertieved from http://www.kk- shiken.co.jp/e/menu/howtouse.html Read More