To: Nancy Myers

From: Michael Bequette

Date: April 28, 2022

Subject: Chapter 15 Summary

Instructions, User Manuals, and Standard Operating Procedures

• Why Write Instructions?
o Almost every manufactured product comes complete with instructions.
• Criteria for Writing Instructions
o Audience Recognition
▪ There can be terms in instructions that aren't clear to the consumer.
▪ The problem is caused by writers who assume that their readers have high-tech
knowledge.
▪ As the writer, you should provide your reader with the clarity and thoroughness
they require.
• Don’t assume anything. Spell it out- clearly and thoroughly.
o Ethical Instructions
▪ Clearly and correctly citing sources of information will help avoid plagiarism.
▪ Legalities in User Manuals
• You don’t want your instructions to lead to injuries or damaged
equipment.
• It is smart to identify potential harm in instruction manuals.
▪ Practicalities in User Manuals
• Ethical instructions also are good to keep the customer up-to-date with
information.
o If a product gets updated, upgraded, or if the instructions
contain inconsistencies or inaccuracies, the customer must
know.
▪ If they aren’t, the company will lose money and the
customer will explain.
▪ Components of Instructions
• Title Page
o It must consist of the topic, the purpose, and a graphic of the
product.
• Safety Requirements
o These can be placed throughout the instructions.
▪ If a certain step presents danger, call attention to the
hazard.
o Access
▪ Make the hazard obvious by varying typeface and type
size.
o Definitions for degrees of hazards
▪ Danger: potential of death
▪ Warning: potential for serious injury
To: Nancy Myers

From: Michael Bequette

Date: April 28, 2022

Subject: Chapter 15 Summary

▪ Caution: potential for damage or destruction of

equipment
▪ Note: information necessary to perform a task
effectively or to avoid loss of data or inconvenience.
o Colors
▪ Danger is in color red
▪ Warning is in orange
▪ Caution is in yellow
▪ Note is in blue, green, or black
o Text
▪ To further clarify your terminology, provide text to
accompany your hazard alert and should have three
parts.
▪ A one- or two- word identification
• High Voltage, hot equipment, sharp objects, or
magnetic parts.
▪ The consequences in 3 to 5 words
• Electrocution can kill, can cause burns, cuts can
occur, or can lead to data loss
▪ Avoidance steps
• Wear rubber shoes, don’t touch until coo., wear
protective gloves, or keep disks away
• Icons
o If a product is being shipped internationally, icons can help
bridge the language gap.
o Table of Contents
▪ This will allow the reader to access any section of a manual.
▪ Introduction
• It is used to reach out to the customer in a personal way.
▪ Glossary
• It is used if there is a term that might be confusing to the customer.
▪ Required tools and equipment
• Provides a list of tools required to complete the product.
▪ Instructional steps
• Organize the Steps Chronologically
o Make the manual easy for the customer to understand.
• Number your steps
o Do not use alphabet or bullet points
• Use highlighting techniques
o To make sure certain instructions are easy to follow
To: Nancy Myers

From: Michael Bequette

Date: April 28, 2022

Subject: Chapter 15 Summary

• Don’t overload the reader by writing lengthy steps

• Avoid vague content by clarifying directions
• Begin your steps with verbs
• Don’t omit articles because they take up too much room
o Additional Components
▪ Technical description is useful to make the instructions easier to understand
▪ Warranties
• If the product breaks there are ways to get them replaced
▪ Accessories
• Selling additional equipment increases income
▪ FAQ
• This will save the company time and money as well as improve
customer relations.
▪ Corporate contact information
• Conclude the manual with contact information and location of business
o Graphics
▪ Drawings and diagrams are good to make the instructions clear.
• Collaboration to Create User Manuals
o Essential for writing manuals
• Instructional Videos
o This can help benefit your audience by using videos.
▪ Good for visual learners
▪ Easy to access
▪ Can be used instead of hard-copy text
▪ Can be more informative
▪ Easier to highlight hazards
▪ You can use them on any device.
• Standard Operating Procedure
o Ensures an accurate job performance and consistent quality and integrity of the end
product.
o They are used for the following reasons
▪ Calibrate and standardize instruments
▪ Collect lab samples
▪ Handle and preserve food
▪ Analyze test data
▪ Troubleshoot equipment, machinery, and procedures
▪ List mathematical steps to follow for acquiring data and making calculations
▪ Assess hardware and software analytical data
o Components of SOP’s
▪ Title page
To: Nancy Myers

From: Michael Bequette

Date: April 28, 2022

Subject: Chapter 15 Summary

▪ Table of contents
▪ Scope and applicability, summary of method
▪ Definition of terms
▪ Safety warnings and cautions
▪ Interferences
▪ Equipment and supplies
▪ Procedures
▪ Data and records
▪ Quality control and quality assurance
▪ References
• Test of Useability
o Select a test audience.
▪ Includes a representative sampling of individuals with differing levels of
expertise.
o Ask the audience to test the instructions.
▪ The audience members would attempt to complete the instructions, following
the procedure step by step.
o Monitor the audience.
▪ See how the audience handles the instructions.
o Time the team members to see if there are steps that take longer than usual.
o Quantify the audience’s responses
▪ Debrief the people to see what problems they ran into.
• The Writing Process at Work
o Prewriting
▪ Flowchart is a good way to chronologically trace the stages of instructions.
o Writing
▪ After the flowchart, put the steps into a rough draft.
o Rewriting
▪ Revise the rough draft and visualize the steps needed to complete the
instructions.