Why don't users read manuals?
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| Why people don't read manuals? |
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| Why don't users read instructions? |
Why don’t users read instructions?
User’s Fault
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Most people are lazy.
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They assume most of it can be figured out by using common sense.
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They assume they know how to use things and don’t have time to read complicated instructions.
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Some people learn best when given spoken directions rather than reading.
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Some people learn best by watching and imitating.
Not The User's Fault
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Instructions are often tedious to read and poorly written.
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The manual is written in another language.
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Often written by the engineers who designed the product and by lawyers for the manufacturer, the manuals are usually not written with the consumer in mind, even when the manuals are easy to understand, they may not be entertaining enough for today's consumer, especially younger ones who have grown up with the fast-paced world.
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| Learning styles |
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| Learning by doing |
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| The Paradox of Active Users |
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| Usability - Principles of design for users |
Principles of design for users:
Affordance
Affordances define what actions are possible between an object/service and a person.
Consistency
Design interfaces to have similar operations and use similar elements for similar tasks.
Enable people to transfer prior knowledge to new contexts and learn new things quickly.
Constraint
A method of limiting the actions with restrictions so that the system can never enter into an invalid state.
Feedback
Clearly and immediate confirmation that an action has been performed successfully.
Mapping
A relationship between controls and their movements or effects. A good mapping between controls and their effects results in greater ease of use.
Signifier
Signifiers are signs, perceptible signals of what can be done. These signs tell you about the possible actions; what to do, and where to do it.
Visibility
The usability of a system is improved when its status and methods of use are clearly visible.
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| How to write usable manuals |
How to write usable manuals
Components of well-designed manuals:
● A separate quick-start booklet.
● Table of contents and index required.
● Glossaries for clarifying technical terms.
● Appendices for error messages.
● Divide the document into sections.
● Match the procedures to tasks. Group similar tasks into the same chapter.
● Organize chapters so that frequent tasks come before infrequent tasks.
● If you need both task-based instructions and reference material, divide the document into two sections. The first section is a user guide. The second section is a reference manual.
