As a handyman I am often asked to assemble things, everything from armoires to chairs to bicycles. As a result, I have to suffer thru assembly instructions, many of which are simply godawful.
I have to ask . . . WHY? Why is it that these instructions are almost always done so poorly? Why interact so sparsely and ineffectively with a recent customer? Why not use this opportunity to reinforce the purchase decision and cultivate your relationship? Why demonstrate incompetence and lack of concern for your customer at this most critical juncture?
Before I became a handyman I was very much involved mass communications, everything from TV to publishing to speaking. I realize no one will ever read this, but for my own sanity, here is a basic guide to creating useful assembly instructions:
1) Be aware of your customer’s point of view. They may not have the same technical background as yourself, so it’s helpful to make an effort to establish common language. For example, I just installed a Defiant brand keyless deadbolt. At one point, the instructions read “make sure the plug is facing OUT.
OUT? Does that mean OUT as in facing me, or OUT as in facing the exterior of the house? Very important to reduce ambiguity. Other people may not know what you mean when you use a certain word. Like OUT. It is not a sin to repeat the instruction in a different phraseology. Like, facing it toward YOU Or facing the EXTERIOR.
2) Warn about likely common errors. i.e., “As you do this next step, be careful to not do X.” Knowledge of what ways are wrong and what to avoide is called EXPERIENCE. Share it.
3) Avoid using somewhat technical words like “Flange.” Any word describing a piece of the thing, like “strut” or “housing,” well, you the technical writer may know these words but the reader may not. Always better to say “doodad” and then describe it.
As I mentioned, I just installed a Defiant keyless deadbolt. Once I got the thing all installed, the thumb turn (the thing that lets you turn the lock on the inside of the door) [see how I did not assume you know what a thumb turn is???] would not turn past 2 o’clock. I assumed the whole thing was busted but when I called the help line they said “even tho it seems to be totally broken, it is fine, just install it and enter the code to let it reset itself.
Great news, but since this a common problem, WHY IS THIS LIKELY GLITCH NOT MENTIONED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS?
I was also admonished by the help person to not tighten the machine screws too tight. Great. I appreciate that, but WHY IS THIS NOT MENTIONED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS?
I am sorry to dump on Defiant so much, they were just the latest assembly instructions I had to suffer thru. The phone help was actually great.
I did an Ancheer bike a few weeks ago and that was the WORST assembly kit ever.
As I sit here ranting, asking why things are not done a better way, I actually know the answer. I call it corporate stage fright. These minimalist instructions are a result of a need to hide and conceal one’s own humanity. It’s a fear of being laughed at. It’s a form of shame energy, which, if not managed and processed, results in creating what is essentially a test that you, dear reader, will fail.
I have to mention, one of the great benefits of arts education is to bring one out of that stage-fright-ridden shame state, and lose one’s terror of being seen as a flawed human being.
There is no excuse for any of the companies, as I am sitting right here. Send me the kit (well, two of them so I can do pix of unassembled and assembled) and I will put it all together for you.
JL
Instructions are often of poor quality because 1) they are not written by a technical writer 2) are often translated from other languages.