The Importance of Formatting in Manual Creation: From the Perspectives of the Reader and the Writer

2. What is the appropriate format in a manual? (From the reader's perspective)

When it comes to the "format" of a manual, many people may think that it requires "a sense of style" to control the appearance of the manual. Certainly, there may be some need for aesthetic sense, such as "cool" fonts, "stylish" color schemes, and "sophisticated" designs. However, the most important thing in determining the format of a manual is to structurally capture and organize information.
So, what does it mean to structurally capture information? Let's consider Manual B from earlier as an example.

The above is a color-coded version of the text in Manual B, focusing on the difference in "types of information". Specifically, it is divided into colors as follows:

・Pink: Heading
・Yellow: Summary
・Green: Steps
・Light Blue: Supplementary Steps

When setting the format of a manual, it is not a matter of freely decorating it according to personal preference. It is necessary to identify the "parts" that appear in our company's manual, and give each part a "default appearance".
Now, let's explain the points to consider when setting that appearance.

Font

Font is one of the key factors that greatly influences the first impression of a manual. It is necessary to choose an appropriate font depending on the purpose, content, and the knowledge level of the readers.
Below are examples of commonly used fonts in Japanese manuals and their characteristics.

・Gothic Font:

Characterized by straight strokes and angular shapes, it gives a clear and easy-to-read impression. Widely used in manuals, advertisements, posters, etc. It is also used as a font that can express strength and individuality in large headings and titles.

・Meiryo:

Gives a light and refreshing impression. Also, the line thickness is uniform, making it easy to read, and there is also a wide space between characters, making it easy to see. Generally, it is often used for business documents, reports, presentations, etc.

・Serif font

It gives an image of Japanese style, luxury, tradition, and delicacy. It is highly readable and suitable for long sentences. For fonts in newspapers and novels, Mincho is the standard. It is often used in manuals related to employment rules and security, giving a sense of formality.
When deciding on a font, it is important to consider whether it aligns with the purpose, audience, and content of the manual.
For example, using Mincho in operation manuals for beginners or business manuals for new employees may give an impression of difficulty and inaccessibility. On the other hand, using Meiryo in technical manuals may give an impression of immaturity.
Also, it is generally recommended to unify the font throughout the entire manual. If you use different fonts for headings, procedures, and precautions, it will create an impression of inconsistency and lack of coherence in the manual.

Font Size, Line Spacing

When the text is too small, readers may have difficulty understanding the text. This is especially important for manuals with long sentences or manuals that are intended to be displayed on small screens such as smartphones. Additionally, if the line spacing is too narrow, the manual may give an overall cramped impression. On the other hand, if the line spacing is too wide, it may give a stretched impression, so be careful.
The typical font size used in the body of a manual is around 8 to 12 points. The line spacing is about 1.0 to 1.5 times the font size. However, depending on the type and purpose of the manual, larger font sizes and wider line spacing may be necessary. For example, in manuals that explain how to handle or configure products, it may be desirable to have a larger font size. On the other hand, in manuals that need to pack a lot of information, such as drug or medical device instructions, reducing the font size and narrowing the line spacing can reduce the number of pages and make it more compact.
It is recommended to set the font size for each "part" that appears in the manual. By using a slightly larger font size for headings and procedures that you want to emphasize, readers can easily find the information at a glance.

Text color

In manuals, it is generally recommended to use black or dark gray text. Difficult-to-read text colors can cause significant stress when reading manuals. Additionally, using too many different colors to emphasize words can actually hinder the reader's understanding.
For sections that need to be highlighted, it is generally better to adjust the text size or make it bold without changing the text color. Especially when using manuals for black and white printing, it is important to be cautious as the difference in text color may not be visible when printed. Other methods to draw attention include using icons to indicate "caution" or "supplement" and enclosing important information in a frame, in addition to changing the text color.

Up until now, we have explained the formatting of the manual in terms of "font", "font size, line spacing", and "color".
In the manual A that was introduced first, how was the formatting actually set?

Manual A was designed to capture the types of information structurally and format each part accordingly. That's why it gives an impression of being easy to read. It is important to accurately identify the differences in types of information and consider formatting with a sense of contrast, rather than just personal taste.
Note that the "font," "size," "line spacing," etc. shown above are just examples of elements that determine the formatting. Other elements such as indentation and bullet point settings should also be set as needed.

3. What is the appropriate format in a manual? (From the writer's perspective)

So far, we have explained the format of the manual from the perspective of ease of use for the reader. In addition, it is important to consider the burden of creating the manual for the writer.

Let's take a look at Manual B again.

The manual overall lacked clarity, but it has been formatted to highlight important sections, such as using bold text. However, this level of detailed formatting can actually be a pitfall as it overlooks the perspective of the writer's efficiency.
For example, in Manual B, button names within the steps are in bold. Additionally, terms that serve as keywords within the steps are also in bold.
By determining formatting on a word-by-word basis within the text, the editing workload significantly increases. Especially for manuals that are frequently updated, the formatting workload accumulates with each revision. Moreover, it may become difficult for a different person to follow the complex rules and create the same formatting.
When setting the formatting for a manual, it is necessary to consider the possibility of revisions and changes in the writing staff, while minimizing excessive workload. In the example above, instead of using bold text to emphasize words within the text, it is preferable to establish rules such as enclosing them in parentheses. Formatting should be done on a sentence-by-sentence basis, and it is best to avoid determining formatting for individual words within the text.