Perspective on Creating Clear Manuals and Guides ③ Do Users Really Need Manuals?

1. Even though a manual was created, inquiries do not decrease

In actual workplaces,
there are quite a few cases where "even though manuals were prepared, inquiries did not decrease."

There are various reasons, but common examples include the following situations.

・The existence of the manual is not known
・Users do not know where to find the necessary information
・Users give up before reading (difficult to read)
・The content users want to know is not written

As such, the cause of inquiries is not necessarily whether the information is included in the manual or not, but sometimes the problem lies in users being unable to reach the necessary information. Simply increasing the amount of information does not lead to a solution.

2. Is the reason users get confused really due to insufficient explanation?

When inquiries increase or users say "I don't understand," it is sometimes thought that "the explanation might be insufficient." However, is that really the only cause?

For example, suppose there are many inquiries from users saying, "I don't understand how to operate it."
In this case, it is common to think, "Isn't the explanation insufficient?" but in reality, there may be other hidden causes.

Here are some examples.

・Don’t know where the necessary information is
・Many technical terms make it difficult to understand
・Don’t understand the overall picture of the work
・Menus on the system or control panel are hard to understand

2-1. "No Information" and "Cannot Find Information" Are Different

What is especially easy to overlook is the case of
not "no information," but "cannot find information"
.

There are cases where an extensive operation manual exists, and users find themselves in a situation where they don't know "which part to read." On the other hand, even if the manual is not that thick, if users can quickly reach the necessary information, they have no trouble at all.

Instead of immediately increasing the amount of information just because there are many inquiries, it is important to consider from the perspective of "whether users can find the information."

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3. What Users Really Want to Know

When creating a manual, the creators (the communicators) tend to focus on "what they want to convey."
However, what users want to know is "what they are currently struggling with."

・How to respond when you cannot log in
・How to cancel an application
・How to respond when an error is displayed
・Contact information when equipment stops
These are the kinds of things they might want to know.

4. Documents Tailored to Users

Some people want to know how to proceed with their tasks, while others just want to solve the problem they are currently facing.
There are also those who already understand the work and want to carry out their tasks without any omissions.
Since the information users seek varies, the form of useful documents also changes.

4-1. Sometimes a checklist is more helpful

For example, let's consider routine tasks performed every month.

For a person in charge who understands the work content, rather than not knowing "how to do it," what they need might be a "system to prevent omissions", right?

In such cases, a checklist like the following can be more helpful.

4-2. Sometimes FAQs or chatbots are more suitable

Do you often receive the same kinds of inquiries?

For example
・Forgot login ID or password
・What should be entered in this field?
・An error was displayed
・Want to change email address

In such cases, if the manual is designed with features that help you find the relevant section by opening the operation manual, that is still acceptable; however, compiling the information as an FAQ or chatbot can often resolve issues more quickly.

What users are seeking is not an understanding of the entire operation, but rather a solution to the problem they are currently facing.

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4-3. Sometimes Videos Convey Information More Smoothly

Videos are effective when you want to quickly convey content that is difficult to express with text alone, such as the flow of operations, the image of procedures, or usage scenarios.

In the following cases, videos can be more effective.

・Want viewers to watch casually (easier than reading text in manuals or other documents)
・Want them to grasp the overall workflow
・Want to share the content of verbal explanations in a form that can be watched repeatedly
・Want to convey the information in a way that leaves a lasting impression on users

Videos have a lower psychological barrier than reading text, making them easier to watch. Additionally, by combining screen movements and audio, the content tends to be more memorable, making videos effective for conveying workflows and overall concepts in a short amount of time.

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>Creating Video Manuals – Introducing Cases and Samples｜Human Science with Over 2,854 Achievements

5. Organizing What Can Be Improved with Documentation

When inquiries increase, let's check if there is anything that can be improved with documentation.
The response you take will vary depending on the cause of the inquiries.
First, it is important to distinguish whether the information itself is insufficient or if there are issues with how the information is presented or communicated.

1. Is there any missing information?
If the information users want to know is not written anywhere, it is necessary to add that information to manuals, FAQs, or similar resources.

2. Is the information difficult to find?
Although the information exists, if users cannot find it,
・Review the table of contents
・Improve searchability
・Organize the FAQ
may be more effective.

3. Is the way of communicating effective?
Are users looking for a manual, a video, a checklist, or an FAQ?
There is also a possibility that methods other than manuals are more suitable.

6. Summary

When inquiries increase and you start thinking, "Wouldn't creating a manual solve the problem?", first try to consider the cause of the inquiries.

For example
・Lack of information
・Difficulty in finding information
・Mismatch in understanding with users
・Mismatch in communication methods
and so on

First, organize the issues and consider what difficulties the users are facing and what they want to achieve. Then, how about thinking about whether to create a manual or if there might be another way to solve the problem?

Now that we understand how to convey information, next time we would like to consider whether increasing information truly benefits the users.

[Related Services]
When considering which method—manuals, FAQs, checklists, videos, etc.—is suitable for users, it is important to organize the users’ goals and issues.

At Human Science, we provide support for information delivery that includes not only manuals but also FAQs and videos.

Instruction Manual and Manual Production Services