disvussion bo

Creating Instructions

We’ve all been there—we’ve purchased an item that needs to be assembled or installed. We get it home, unpack it, and check off the list to make sure all contents are included. Among those contents are usually a set of instructions, which most of us ignore while we’re assembling or installing. That is, until we get stuck and really need some expert assistance. And then the instructions need to be there, and they need to be well organized, clear, and precise.

Well-written instructions make the user feel intelligent, capable, and competent. Poorly written instructions cause frustration, loss of productivity, and potentially a loss of money for companies. The goal with this lesson is to analyze the components of well-written instructions and create an action plan for each part of that process.

Instructions are very similar to a process description in their detail and attention to each individual step and grouping by stage. However, while process descriptions focus solely on the process, providing an objective and passive description to aid the reader in understanding, instructions direct the audience to complete the specific steps outlined. This impacts the subject matter (you can’t write instructions for the steps necessary for a caterpillar to become a butterfly) and the sentences structure. All instructions use the  imperative mood, a type of sentence construction that gives directions without using second person. For example:

· Go to your room.

· Place the egg in the boiling water for one minute.

· Always follow the directions in the assignment sheet.

This allows you to give direct instructions to the reader without an excessive (and tiring) amount of second person. The reader already knows who you are talking to, so that element is removed for clarity and directness.

Writing instructions follows the same basic pattern of planning, drafting, and revising. The planning stage, however, actually begins with learning the process. If you write instructions for a process you know well, you may want to begin drafting what you know from memory. Then attempt to complete the process using your instructions, making notes of steps to add. If you are unfamiliar with a process or are new to it, write instructions as you learn it. Some people also like to record themselves talking through the task, and then they transcribe the narration.

You’ll want to make sure to clearly identify your audience. Who is going to be completing these instructions? Are they a specialist? Can they understand complex and industry-specific terms? Or are they novices or casual users than will need the instructions provided in general terms?

You will also want to plan out the example that you are going to use, making sure that they are appropriate to your audience, but also that you are selecting the most effective examples possible so that you only need a minimum number of them. You don’t want to overwhelm any audience with examples. Visuals are an important part of the planning and drafting stage. If the process is computerized, include screen shots at every opportunity. Include photographs or line drawings where appropriate.

You may also want to include background information, but this depends on your audience.

The mode that you select is also determined by the purpose of the instructions and the audience. Will a booklet be more useful, or a poster? Maybe the whole set of instructions can fit on a label. If so, great!

Lastly, consider the setting and the size. If you are writing instructions for setting up a one-person tent, a large (and possibly waterproof) poster that can lay flat on the ground might be better than a small stapled booklet that needs to be held open. A person setting up a one-person tent isn’t guaranteed to have anyone there helping them.

A set of instructions has some standard elements. There is a title, always important. Your title should be clear and precise. Don’t make it long, cute, or funny unless, as with some online instructions like video game walkthroughs or recipes, your audience prefers that type of writing. Usually the title for a set of instructions will either be a “How-to” statement (how to assemble the T-5000 turbo dynamic kinderswing) or a gerund. Gerunds are the –ing form of a verb that turn them into a noun. For example, assembling the T-5000 turbo dynamic kinderswing.

Next, you should have an introduction. The elements in the introduction change and change order based on what the instructions are covering, but it is always a good idea to ask yourself if each of these items is relevant.

First, who should be completing this process and how many people will it take. Sometimes this is implied (as with a recipe) but the more specialized the instructions, the more this information becomes necessary. You may also need to address the why. In a recipe, this usually has the nutritional information or info about how the final result will turn out (this is the moistest cake you’ll ever make with potato peels). Sometimes this info is pretty obvious (you want that swing set to be functional, right?), but other times it’s not (like convincing people to learn to change their own oil). Information about when the instructions should be carried out is sometimes also important. Some recipes should be carried out only in dry or humid weather, oil changes should happen every 3,000 miles, and some instructions are only to be use in the event that something else has happened. What safety measures should the user consider? Are there risks associated with completing the instructions? Do they need safety goggles or gloves? Do they need to make sure that there isn’t a risk or rain or lightning? Materials (items used up in the course of completing the instructions) and tools (reusable items) should always be completely listed at the beginning of any instructions. Start with a bit of introductory text, and use a bulleted or numbered list to denote each item. If necessary, also make clear how much of each item the reader will need. If the instructions are coming with a kit, you should note if the item is included, or if it is something the reader will need to already have.  Lastly, you’ll want a time estimate. If there are separate phases, you may also want to denote the time for each phase or group of steps, but always provide a total timeframe.

Steps are what everyone thinks of when it comes to instructions. This is a numbered list of things to do listed in the order they need to be completed. If you are writing about a particularly complex process, you can group the steps into stages or related steps for longer processes. If you group steps, put a subheader at the beginning of each step, and make sure that the grouped steps always start with 1. When you are trying to decide where to break each step, the go-to rule is that you should only have one verb per step. In each step, use the imperative mood. This means that instead of saying “you should” every time, the “you” is implied, and you just state the action that should be taken. So, instead of “you should now put the pan in the oven,” just write “put the pan in the oven.” You can use examples if necessary when crafting your steps, but only if they are both absolutely necessary and highly beneficial to the instructions. The same goes for graphics. You usually don’t need them for every step, but sometimes they can be highly effective.

If there are a couple of different ways to complete the instructions or a section of the instructions, denote the options clearly by introducing the options first and then listing the steps for both.

At the end, you’ll obviously want to have a conclusion. This should be a paragraph, not step, that provides a sense of closure, reassurance, or congratulations. Conclusions may describe the results of having followed the instructions correctly, explain the maintenance of a product, detail serving and pairing suggestions for a recipe, or even include troubleshooting information.

Formatting can be applied to your instructions either before you begin drafting or after you are done. If you are formatting after you’re done, just highlight your instructions. What you want is for the lines to be single spaced within steps but double spaced between steps. This is possible with the formatting options in Word. Do not try to do this manually, because the margins and alignments act differently to you manually hitting enter twice than they do if you just use the formatting options. You also don’t have to remember to hit return every time. You can just format and forget it. First, highlight your instructions if necessary. Then go to the “home” tab and pop out the “paragraph” menu. For spacing, set both the before and after at “6.” For line spacing, set the option at “single,” and then hit “ok.”

You will want to use headers to separate sections, major steps, and sub-steps. Make sure that you are using everything already discussed to create excellent headers and organize your information. Keep in mind that Left aligned headers are more visible than right aligned because in English we read left to right. You should also use clear verbs in headers so that your reader knows what task or types of tasks are awaiting. Select an easy-to-read font, not something overly stylized fonts like Comic Sans and Courier. You also don’t want to use exaggerated sizes that could make your instructions visually choppy or cramp the page.

While the language used in instructions is a little different because of the imperative mood, you still want to use good style so that your instructions are easy to read and clearly understood. Don’t use passive voice or first person. Make sure your language is concise. Check your grammar and spelling, and make sure that your bullets are all parallel (use the same construction – each starting with a present tense verb, for example, or all using gerunds). The verbs you use should be clear, active verbs (requiring specific movement, not thought).

Revision follows the same pattern for a set of instructions as any other writing. Read the instructions. Find proofreaders who are willing to actually do the task as they follow your instructions if possible. Look for points of confusion where your proofreaders ask you questions or where they complete steps incorrectly.

Manuals aren’t very different from instructions. Usually what is different is the context. Manuals are generally used throughout the day to day use of an item, rather than in the completion or construction of a specific task. If you are completing a manual, and depending on the context of your manual, you may want to consider adding some front matter Front matter like a preface, table of contents, troubleshooting contact, company website, etc. Some additions you may want to have at the end are specifications (size, voltage, nutritional breakdown, etc.), government and industry standards met (ROHS, ASCII, etc.), an index, or a glossary.

Instructions and manuals come in all shapes and sizes, and not all published instructions are good instructions and manuals. As you go through your day, consider what instructions you encounter, whether they are well-crafted or are lacking information that would be beneficial to you as a reader. Being a critical reader can help you improve your own writing and enable you to be more empathetic with your reader when you are the writer.