To help us with Task 1 for 152MC (to create an instruction manual to the studio), we were asked to look for both good and bad ideas of instruction manuals so that we could understand what does and does not work within them. I looked online for manuals and tried to pick out things that I thought weren’t clear enough to follow, confusing, interesting or good diagrams.
Good Instruction Manuals
My first manual that I came across was this one for a food processor. Here is the link to manual:
http://www.thanedirect.co.uk/manuals/ThunderStick-220V_MNL_ENG_Generic_R2_110928_View.pdf
This is a PDF of the user’s guide online which includes both writing and image which are well presented and labelled. This shows which information goes with which image (all numbered and easily followable.) Its layout is clear and the “DO NOT’S” of the guide are set in bold to highlight them more, as well as “CAUTION” and “DISPOSAL” signs.
At the beginning of the booklet there are parts within the book that let you write your own notes on the processor so this is handy for any information you may want to add yourself. After this, there is a clearly set out contents page with headings and subheadings with page numbers so you can clearly go straight to the desired page.
The second manual I came across was one from Renault for the Espace car (link below:)
Inside there is an interactive book inwhich you can turn the pages with your mouse to the next page. It has headings that you can select and these sometimes take you to videos to show you how to do things to the car that you are trying to find out, such as ‘removing the seat’ or ‘fitting the seat’. The videos are clear and well explained, as well as the easy to navigate e-Guide page.
Both of these guides are very different to each other but both have clearly laid out techniques to put across instructions. The first one can be printed off and kept in a folder or used online which is useful. However, the second one (the E-guide) can only be used online. But I don’t see this as much of a problem because most people in today’s society has access to the internet and a computer so it wouldn’t be difficult to get ahold of the Renault E-guide.
Bad Instruction Manuals
When looking for instruction manuals, I came across this image which is a poster for something but for what, i’m not sure. Nowhere does it specify what these instructions are for so to the eye, it’s completely confusing. However, this may have been given with parts for something, which would make more sense if both things were visible (both instructions and tools/parts needed.) I also notice that the pictures aren’t really too clear and the information given with the image is very limited. The way that the information is put together in this poster/manual is confusing to even begin to read and not knowing what it’s for makes it all the more difficult.
It’s obvious that there was no consideration when putting this together. Even though I see this poster as a bad example for instruction manuals, the positive is that it has use drawings of people which means anyone of any language capability would be able to understand it.
When creating my instruction manual I’m going to include both writing and drawn diagrams on lighting and instructions on how to do things such as create a pinhole camera or set up the studio for certain setups.
Kerrie Caine 