To: Nancy Myers

From: Ryan Daniel

Date: April 28, 2022
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 15 Summary

CHAPTER 15 Summary
Instructions, User Manuals, and Standard Operating Procedures

Why Write Instructions: Instructions are there to help the consumer understand the product
they purchased.

Criteria for Writing Instructions: Have clear specific example, dangers, and proper use of
product easy enough for an average person to understand.
 Audience Recognition: Don’t assume the reader is part of the High-Tech category.
Clarify each statement.
 Ethical Instructions: Be sure to cite sources and give credit where its due.
 Components of Instructions: Instructions can be very short which results in having a
component listed with the stops like a diagram.
 Title Page: Be sure to have the topic, purpose of instructions, and a graphic depicting
the product.
 Safety Requirements: Four ways to categorize safety. Danger, Warning, Caution, and
Note all having different levels of seriousness
 Table of Contents: Instructions may be long, a alphabetized list of main points would
come in handy to easily navigate.
 Introduction: Use positive words, but better to use pronouns and personalize to
improve customer satisfaction.
 Glossary: Explanations for all abbreviated words. Or trade specific words so everyone
can understand.
 Required Tools or Equipment: Show what tools that are needed to complete the
purchase.
 Instructional Steps: Lay steps out for clear and precise completion.
 Additional Components: Show details of specifics to fully understand the product.
 Graphics: Ensure full understanding of the product by using a graphic to visually show
what is happening or what needs to be done.

Collaboration to Create User Manuals: Some companies outsource for the creation of user
manuals or have a team effort within the company itself to ensure everything is clear and they can have
more focus on their own category.

Instructional Videos: Videos help give the consumer understanding of the product seeing it in
action or exactly how its going together.
Standard Operating Procedure
 Reasons for Writing A SOP: Shows accurate job performance and consistent quality.
 Components of SOPs: Most SOPs have the same components in a user’s manual but
can vary per company and their on-manufacturing processes.

Test for Usability: Before the product goes into full effect get test subjects to test the manual
you just completed to ensure that it is good enough for production.

Sample Instructions: Have brief showings of the product to get the point across but not into
huge details.

The Writing Process at Work

 Prewriting Brainstorm get rough ideas about what you’re going to write.
 Writing Starts with a rough draft to work out errors before final
 Rewriting Usually refers to the final draft of what you’re writing as all errors have been
corrected and is ready to publish

Apply Your Knowledge Do your best to apply everything learned.

Case Study Do your own research on subjects to verify it is what they say it is or if they need
advice to correct.

Ethical Challenge Keep understanding that everyone has their own beliefs and is not your place
to enforce and or encourage people to do things based on your own beliefs.

Individual and Team Projects When in team projects keep in mind of things coming off as racist,
sexist, and offensive with achieving the best quality outcome per the audience.

Problem-Solving Think Pieces Use precise facts and words when putting problems together.
Wrote as a High-Tech standpoint.

Web Workshop