What makes a manual user-friendly

1. Reasons to Review the Manual Content

Before introducing what a user-centered manual is, this chapter will explain the reasons why manuals should be reviewed.

The reason you should review the manual is simply that it tends to be from the developer's perspective.

For example, are you facing the following issues?
"Despite having a manual, the number of inquiries does not decrease, putting pressure on operations."
"Even though it is stated in the manual, it is not being implemented."

One of the reasons for this is the manuals written from the developers' perspective. Many users tend to contact the help desk because they cannot understand the manuals even after reading them.

Difficult-to-understand manuals from a developer's perspective increase inquiries to customer support and help desks, leading to a greater burden on the company. Above all, this can result in decreased customer satisfaction.
Aiming for user-friendly and easy-to-understand manuals from the customer's perspective is also important for enhancing the company's reputation.

2. What is a User-Centric Manual?

In the previous chapter, we introduced the reasons for reviewing manuals. In this chapter, we will introduce what a user-centered manual is.
User-centered means standing in the reader's perspective. Here are three points to consider in order to adopt the reader's perspective.

1. Point 1 for User Perspective: Make it easy to see and read

The first point to make the manual user-friendly is to ensure it is easy to see and read.

Difficult-to-read and unattractive manuals will be avoided by users. In the worst case, they may end up being shelved indefinitely. This would render the effort put into creating the manual wasted, and the know-how will not be established on-site.

To that end, let's create the manual with the following points in mind.

1. The Japanese written in the manual is correct and has a readable rhythm.

2. Properly arrange the layout
For example, when placing images and text on the screen, fix their respective display positions.

3. Arrange figures and tables as needed
As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words," inserting figures and tables enhances user understanding more than just explaining with words.

4. Pay attention to the size, thickness, color, and line spacing of the text
If the size of the text and the width of the line spacing are not appropriate, the manual will be difficult to read.
Additionally, if the text color is all black, it becomes hard to identify important points. As the creator, consider changing the color of the text for parts you think are important.

Point 2 for User Perspective: Make it Easy to Find

Point 2 for creating user-centric manuals is that they should be easy to search.
By allowing users to quickly find the information they need, they can use the manual without any stress.

We must not forget that manuals are used by a variety of people. There are those who are encountering the product or service for the first time, those who are somewhat familiar with it, and those who have a gap in their experience, among others.

For example, those who are encountering a product or service for the first time will likely read the manual from the beginning. They would want to read pages like "Introduction" and "Basic Usage."
On the other hand, what about those with some experience? They probably have specific pages in mind that they want to refer to when they are in trouble or have forgotten something. A manual that allows them to quickly reach the desired pages is what can be considered a user-centered manual.

There is one key point to ensure that you can quickly find the information you need.
That point is to make it possible to understand the content from the chapter or heading titles.

For example, let's assume you want to know how to open the Yahoo! homepage using Google search. Most people would likely look for the desired information from the table of contents. In that case, which of the following would be clearer?
A: Open the portal site from the browser search
B: Open the Yahoo! homepage using Google search

Most people will likely choose "B." "B" includes the names of the search engines and portal sites to be used, and specific usage scenarios and purposes can be inferred from the table of contents. The searchers can also make educated guesses. Without specific content like in "A," it is unclear which page to open.
By providing clear titles and headings that make the desired information immediately apparent, it leads to a more easily searchable manual.

Point 3 to Stand from the User's Perspective: Adjust to the Knowledge Level of the Manual's Target Audience

Point 3 for creating user-centric manuals is to align with the knowledge level of the manual's target audience.

To stand in the user's perspective, first, let's be aware of whose perspective it is. Whether it is for someone who is encountering the product or service for the first time, or for someone who has some experience, the level of detail will change.

To match the knowledge level of the manual's target audience, please pay attention to the following.

1. Set the target users in the initial stage of manual creation
In the initial stage of manual creation, determine the target users. By establishing the direction of the manual, inconsistencies during the manual creation process can be avoided.

2. Have a third party review it
Even if the documentation is clear to the manual creator, it may be difficult for actual users to understand. Therefore, let's have a third party review the created manual. Ideally, the check should be done by various types of people. In particular, receiving feedback from the intended users will make the manual more user-oriented.

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3. Achieving Improvement in Manual Quality

The previous chapter introduced what a user-centered manual is. In this chapter, we will present examples of how to improve the quality of manuals.

Improvement Case Studies

Hammock Co., Ltd.

Improvements

Improvement of product manuals and creation of templates

Background of Introduction

Hammock Co., Ltd. sells software called "Tablet Form" that allows handwritten input on tablets. The manuals included with the product are created by the development team using Word and distributed in PDF format.

Issues and Challenges

・The manual is created from the perspective of the developers, so it is not user-oriented.
・It is created in Word, but I want to change it to a more readable layout, though I am struggling to do so.
・Considering the characteristics of the product, I would like to create HTML help files for easier viewing and searching on computers and tablets.

Proposal Content of Human Science

1. Propose improvements to the product manual
① Review the structure of the table of contents
　Change the title from function name to purpose to make it easier for users to search
　For example: In the case of the operation to display the Yahoo! homepage in a Google search
　Change from "Search" to "How to display the Yahoo! homepage"

② Improve the content description
Example: By including the purpose of each chapter in the lead text, it assists the user's understanding.

2. Creation of Templates
① Create templates with consideration for design
Create Word templates that balance readability and ease of updates with an aesthetically pleasing design.

②Creation of Writing Rules and Checklists
Customize the establishment of writing rules and checklists for manual creation specifically for Hammock.

Customer Feedback

"You understood our true challenges and provided suggestions that not only improved the manuals but also anticipated future operations."
"We received deliverables that were satisfactory in quality, and we would like to focus on establishing production techniques within the company from now on."

So far, we have introduced examples of how we improved the quality of manuals based on the case of Hammock Co., Ltd. Although manual creation may seem simple, there are various approaches to it. Finally, I will introduce the features of our human science manual production services and conclude today's presentation.

Feature 1: Visualization by Experienced Consultants

Our experienced consultants, proud of their expertise in human sciences, will visualize the current manuals. We will objectively evaluate the clarity of the manuals and compare them with those of other companies, identifying strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation will be conducted from a professional third-party perspective, leading to specific proposals.

Feature 2: Evaluation based on numerous achievements and years of know-how

Human Science has over 20 years of history and has a track record of creating manuals for 215 companies and 2854 projects. Therefore, we are well-versed in what constitutes a systematically clear manual.
We will evaluate your manual from the following two perspectives.
① Evaluation from the perspective of whether the manual meets the requirements expected by users
② Evaluation from the perspective of the production techniques of the manual