Showing the Steps

Making an instruction manual

• When you finish this activity, you will be able to:–Visualize the vital courses of action

involved in using a product or completing a process

–Document those processes in an easy-to-comprehend manner

–Utilize photographs to create a final product

– Strategize a creative vision and implement it

objectives

• Written and/or graphic instructions on how to create, construct or utilize something

• Most products come with instructions–Even food!

• Some manuals are more detailed than others, depending on the complexity of the product

• Example Instruction Manual

What is an instruction manual?

• Use the product first• Write down your first

impressions as you are using it–Especially important to write down things that are difficult to do with the product

Understand your product

• Who will be reading and using your document?• Analyze traits such as prior

knowledge, age, and familiarity with the product. • Have they used it before? What do

they already know about how to use it? How much education do they need before they can use it?

Analyze your audience

• Write down the most vital steps involved in using the product–These steps will be the ones you want to document. –It is impossible to document every scenario, so choose the ones that are most important to your audience

Write an outline

• Document the processes with the product in front of you–Use the product while writing down every step that you make –Test your instructions to make sure that they work and make sense–Take photos of each step to go along with your documentation

Document the process

• Test your manual for usability• Have your manual reviewed by

someone other than your group members –Ask them to walk through the

steps that you have documented in your manual

• Make any necessary edits

Test it!

1. Select a product 2. Plan and strategize the manual,

including your photo shoot(s) and written documentation

3. Write your documentation and take your photos

4. Follow the exact format in this student example: Example Instruction Manual

Assignment: instruction manual

• Save your instruction manual to your H drive as [last name] Instruction Manual [class period] and submit to Mr. Nigrelli via Google Drive by the end of class on Friday, January 30th

Assignment: instruction manual