| Make sure your instructions are written for your | | | | ** Use simple, plain language in short sentences |
| audience, not your organization. People who buy | | | | ** Use "active voice," not "passive voice" (e.g. "take |
| products need to know how to assemble/install/use | | | | the lid off now" rather than "the lid should be taken off |
| the product as easily as possible. And because many | | | | at this point |
| people are technodorks like me, instructions need to be | | | | ** Keep each step separate, no matter how simple |
| understood by the lowest common | | | | you think it is |
| denominator.Logically, then, you might think the best | | | | ** If you use illustrations, make sure they're clear and |
| person to write instructions for technodorks like me is | | | | uncomplicated |
| someone who knows every last detail about the | | | | ** If using translations, get each language version |
| product, how it was made, how it works, what it does, | | | | "reality checked" by a native speakerFinally, you need |
| and what its inside leg measurement is.In other words, | | | | to test the instructions on people who are genuinely |
| an expert. This could not be further from the | | | | typical of the target audience. And that means, |
| truth.Instructions should never be written by experts | | | | preferably, people outside your organization. Someone |
| Quite simply, experts know too much. Consequently | | | | in the next office may not have tried assembling the |
| they are very prone to making the mistake of | | | | item before, but is still likely to have some prior |
| assuming the reader knows a little bit about the | | | | knowledge.Keep an open mind Still following along the |
| subject matter already. To an expert, the fact that | | | | same lines, for any product to be used by ordinary |
| before you begin assembling the bookcase you need | | | | folks in the street, try also to get the instructions |
| to align sections A, B and C with each other may be | | | | written by someone from a totally unrelated |
| so blindingly obvious it's not even worth mentioning.To | | | | department or even from outside your organization. No |
| someone like me it's not merely worth mentioning, it's | | | | matter how thoroughly you know your product, a fresh |
| absolutely essential if I'm not to spend the next three | | | | outsider's view will often pick up on ways to improve |
| hours wondering why on earth I can't find any bolt | | | | the instructions--or even to improve the product |
| holes that line up. Equally, instructions should not be | | | | itself.There is nothing that will blacken the name of your |
| written by the sales people, the marketing executives, | | | | product and your company faster than a customer like |
| the guys in the lab, the production staff, or anyone else | | | | me not being able to put your product together easily. |
| - even you - if there's a risk they might have become | | | | Although customers like me will get over it after taking |
| familiar with the subject matter. Familiarity can breed if | | | | a cold shower and asking the brainy next-door |
| not contempt, at least wrongful assumptions about the | | | | neighbor to interpret the instructions, we'll probably |
| audience's existing knowledge.Instruction writing must | | | | remember all those bad things next time we're |
| match your target audience Wherever practical, | | | | shopping for the sort of products you sell. And we'll |
| instructions should be written by someone who knows | | | | buy your competitor's.Canadian-born Suzan St Maur is |
| as much as, but no more than, the audience. For any | | | | an international business writer and author based in the |
| form of instructions to be followed by non-technical | | | | United Kingdom. In addition to her consultancy work for |
| users, the writer should assume zero prior knowledge | | | | clients in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, she |
| and the best way to ensure s/he does that, is if s/he | | | | contributes articles to more than 250 business |
| doesn't have any prior knowledge her/himself.Key tips | | | | websites and publications worldwide, and has written |
| for well-written instructions: ** Approach it with logic | | | | twelve published books on business writing, marketing, |
| and common sense | | | | publishing and humor. Check out all her current books |
| ** Don't assume any prior knowledge on reader's part | | | | here.To subscribe to her free biweekly business writing |
| | | | tips eZine, TIPZ from SUZE, click here. |
| ** Start right at the beginning of the process | | | | |