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How To Write Better Instruction Manuals
How To Write Checklists > > >
If you know how to do something -- and can do it well, almost without thinking -- it makes sense that youd want to share this information. What better way to do it than with an instruction manual. Writing an instruction manual may seem complicated and overwhelming, but it is easier than you think. The following tips will instruct you what to do and how to do it.
OUTLINE YOUR TOPIC
Before you can teach someone how to do something successfully, you need to conceptualize which aspects of the project they need to know. If your topic is complicated, such as how to play the piano, list each chapter and outline the points you need to make. If its simpler, such as the task of changing a tire, briefly jot down all the steps that come to mind. Dont worry about the details or if you list the steps out of order; we will fix these things later.
START WITH THE SUPPLIES
The most logical way to start an instruction manual is to list the supplies the reader will need for the project. Be as exhaustive with this as possible; your students will thank you. If any of the supplies are expensive or difficult to find, list alternatives or stores that carry the item.
MOVE STEP BY STEP
Instead of explaining the task in long paragraphs, break your instruction manual into specific, detailed steps. Give as much direction as possible; if one step requires slightly different tasks, create sub-steps. Think of these as an outline; number or letter the steps accordingly (and logically).
DO THE PROJECT
If your instruction manual details a tangible project, then complete it using only your written guide. Dont improvise and dont go on your prior knowledge. If its difficult for you to do this (subjectivity is sometimes next to impossible to ignore), ask a friend to use your manual to complete the project. Look carefully at the finished product; did it turn out as youd envisioned? Did you miss something important? Continue to revise and describe until your written words encompass every step in the most detailed and effective way possible.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Writing an instruction manual is different from writing literary fiction; creative wordiness isnt important here -- its clarity youre after. Use short sentences and simple words. Make sure your manual is clear and readable; if the reader cant understand what youre saying, they wont be able to complete your project.
How To Write Checklists > > >
BONUS : How To Write Checklists
There are a number of strategic reasons for using checklists, a writing format which helps you make your point(s) by writing at least some of your document in lists, rather than all in standard paragraphs. For example, checklists may convey the idea that you have carefully analyzed a situation, that a sequence should be followed, or that you are a well-organized person.
In this article, I have a follow-up, in which we look at the creation of checklists.
How you create your checklist will depend on its type. In some cases, you will want readers to follow a sequence of steps; this is a sequential checklist. On the other hand, if it's just a list, like a shopping list, then it would be a non-sequential list.
If you write non-sequential checklists, use bullets or boxes to indicate a new line or new item, as in:
* something
* something else
* another thing again
One quick note about bullets: if you're printing and distributing the message, then you can use conventional bullet forms (usually a square or round dot, whether solid or hollow). If you're sending the message by email, use an asterisk because not all email programs handle bullets properly (something to do with ASCII characters).
If the steps must be taken in sequence, then you'll use numbers or letters as your bullets. And, if that sequence has several sub-steps within each step, you would follow convention by using these types of characters, in this order:
* Roman numeral;
* Capital letter;
* Standard (Arabic) number;
* Lower case letter.
For example:
I The Beginning
A. The first part of the Beginning
1. The first part of the first part
a) and so on.
Indentations are helpful when working with highly structured checklists, like these. They show at a glance the importance of each component in the list.
A couple of other types of checklist might also be considered -- flowcharts and mind-maps. A flow-chart means a series of boxes illustrating the linear steps in a process. These are especially helpful if the checklist includes decision points. For example, "If the computer starts, do this" or "If the computer DOES NOT start, do that."
A mind-map refers to a number of boxes with interconnecting lines (not necessarily in a sequence, but perhaps showing interrelationships). In this case, the idea is to show how different aspects of the same issue connect with each other.
One final thought: outliners, whether stand-alone or in word processors can provide checklists, along with appropriate indentations. If the content fits the checklist format, an outliner may help you create one quickly and easily.
There are a number of strategic reasons for using checklists, a writing format which helps you make your point(s) by writing at least some of your document in lists, rather than all in standard paragraphs. For example, checklists may convey the idea that you have carefully analyzed a situation, that a sequence should be followed, or that you are a well-organized person.
In this article, I have a follow-up, in which we look at the creation of checklists.
How you create your checklist will depend on its type. In some cases, you will want readers to follow a sequence of steps; this is a sequential checklist. On the other hand, if it's just a list, like a shopping list, then it would be a non-sequential list.
If you write non-sequential checklists, use bullets or boxes to indicate a new line or new item, as in:
* something
* something else
* another thing again
One quick note about bullets: if you're printing and distributing the message, then you can use conventional bullet forms (usually a square or round dot, whether solid or hollow). If you're sending the message by email, use an asterisk because not all email programs handle bullets properly (something to do with ASCII characters).
If the steps must be taken in sequence, then you'll use numbers or letters as your bullets. And, if that sequence has several sub-steps within each step, you would follow convention by using these types of characters, in this order:
* Roman numeral;
* Capital letter;
* Standard (Arabic) number;
* Lower case letter.
For example:
I The Beginning
A. The first part of the Beginning
1. The first part of the first part
a) and so on.
Indentations are helpful when working with highly structured checklists, like these. They show at a glance the importance of each component in the list.
A couple of other types of checklist might also be considered -- flowcharts and mind-maps. A flow-chart means a series of boxes illustrating the linear steps in a process. These are especially helpful if the checklist includes decision points. For example, "If the computer starts, do this" or "If the computer DOES NOT start, do that."
A mind-map refers to a number of boxes with interconnecting lines (not necessarily in a sequence, but perhaps showing interrelationships). In this case, the idea is to show how different aspects of the same issue connect with each other.
One final thought: outliners, whether stand-alone or in word processors can provide checklists, along with appropriate indentations. If the content fits the checklist format, an outliner may help you create one quickly and easily.
