To: Nancy Myers

From: Justus Lasiter

Date: April 25, 2022

Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 15 Summary-Outline

CHAPTER 15
Instruction, User Manuals, and standard Operating Procedures

Why write instructions? Instructions are to help guide users on how to use a product properly.

Criteria for writing Instructions

• Audience Recognition – Make sure your audience knows what you’re talking about.
Don’t assume anything spell it all out, be clear, and thorough.
• Ethical Instructions– writer is to meet reader’s needs. So, you must provide not only
clear instructions, but ethical behavior as well.
• Components of Instructions – All sets of instructions will be different. They will vary
from product to product and user manuals.
• Title Page – Titles are important to the user because it lets them know what they are
doing ex: “IPOD” or “IPOD User Manual”.
• Safety Requirements – Always let your audience know if they are dangers with the
product they are using. List dangers, and how to overcome them.
• Table of Contents – In instruction manuals there will usually be a table of contents, this
tells you what you’re going be reading, and where to find it.
• Introduction – Making a friendly, and positive introduction with users. This will promote
positive customer – company relationship.
• Glossary – A place where readers can find word terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and
other technical terms.
• Required Tools or Equipment – This lets readers know with a list, or graphics what
tools, or equipment is needed.
 • Instructional Steps – Series of small task to complete in a sequence to achieve final goal.
• Additional Components – Instructions may include more part.
• Graphic – Using graphics help clarify a point. Graphics must be big, easy to understand,
and labeled.
• Collaboration to Create User Manual - When making a user manual be collaborative to
get different points of view. Allow this to be a group project.
• Instructional Video – Instructional steps made for graphic screening. Allows for visual,
and audio help.

Standard Operating Procedure: Written instructions that has record, or administrative

activities, and routine followed by businesses.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

• Components Of SOP – same components as procedural steps, but SOP has several
different parts.
• Test for Usability – Make sure the user manual is usable, and serves it purpose to
complete reader’s final goal.
• Sample Instructions – Small shorten up steps on how to use a product or product
feature.

The Writing Process at Work

• Prewriting – creating a flow chat to help brainstorming process.

• Writing – Prewrite and review rough draft.
• Rewriting – Revise the rough draft and write out final draft.