Instruction manuals — Really, you think you can call it that?
Dear company that produces ANY PRODUCT that requires assembly or installation, do you read your own manuals before you put your product on the market? I don’t think you do. It would be a good idea because you should know if your manuals make sense or not. If they don’t, I think you can do better.
(This is not a real instruction manual. It’s one I made up to represent the stupidity I’ve seen recently.)
When I pay money to buy a product, I expect to be able to use said product. If you produce and sell a product that has to be “assembled at home” or “installed”, it is your responsibility to provide adequate instructions to walk me through the installation or assembly process.
It shouldn’t be difficult. Here are a few tips if you’re confused as to what consumers need in their instruction manual.
- It should be written by someone who speaks the language that the manual is written in. Not translated.
- It should be written by someone who has actually installed or assembled said item.
- It should be proofread by someone else who has also installed or assembled said item.
- Then it should be “TESTED” by several consumers who have no affiliation with the product or process.
- If it passes the consumer test then you can go ahead and send it out to be put on the shelves at stores.
I sure help this insight helps — ’cause currently YOUR INSTRUCTION MANUAL might SUCK!
Yes!! There are so many good examples of instruction manuals out there too. One of my favourites was a friend’s kiddie deck chair. Board holes were labeled with numbers and fasteners were labeled with letters. You just had to mate up A-Z with 1-26 (with numbers…you didn’t even have to figure out what number G was!)
Testing is so bloody important. We once had an absolutely TERRIBLE anniversary with a flat tire out in the bush because while the truck manual had three diagrams on how to unvelcro the jack, there was ZERO reference to the lock nut that was missing! We didn’t even know the bloody thing was missing, with SIX people looking through the manual. /rant.
This is so. bloody. true. They really ought to market test their manuals just as much as their products. Drives me INSANE!
I really think you should have posted the company name AND the item. Just so I know not to buy it… LOL!
They missed a very important step. You first need to “fablicate the snippet before you can tiply inside it!” Then you can turn it in!
But you got the essential info, right? I mean, all you really needed to know was the “Don’t over tighten” part, I’m sure. (not!)
But seriously, that is really, really bad.