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Show customers how to use your product correctly with our best instruction manual template. Create powerful product documentation and ensure customer success.
A good instruction manual makes it easy for your customers to use your product successfully. Use our template to offer step-by-step instructions in a digestible, easy-to-follow format.
Every product, from small home appliances to large machinery and more, comes with certain standard items. These could include accessories like a power cord, connection cables, additional parts, or any other item the product requires to run.
And then, there’s the instruction manual.
As a matter of fact, the manual is the one thing you can confidently say you’ll always receive with a product.
But what is the instruction manual? Why is it so important that you find it with every product? And does your product really need it?
Well, in the simplest terms, an instruction manual is a “how-to” guide to using a product.
The document typically contains instructions to set up or assemble a product and guides users through all aspects of operating a product. It also instructs them on how to use a product safely and maintain it to prolong its lifespan.
In short, a manual is detailed guidance from someone who knows how a product works and should be operated.
A strong instruction manual will help customers:
But the instruction manual’s greatest power lies in its familiarity.
Customers expect to find one with any product they buy. Now, it’s true that hardly anyone reads the manual beginning to end. That said, the manual is still the go-to resource for learning more about the product or a reference point for solving particular issues when operating it.
No two instruction manuals are the same.
Some come as bulky books full of complex diagrams and tables of technical data. Others contain only a handful of pages with a few illustrations and text.
The manual’s size and format will largely depend on the product and its complexity.. But there are certain elements you will find in practically every instruction manual:
Now you know what an instruction manual is, what it does, and why you must create it for your product.
Next, let’s talk about how to create an instruction manual that will help your customers get the most out of the product.
Regardless of whether you decide to write the document from scratch or use an instruction manual template, there are steps you must take to complete the project:
Most likely, you completed this step before even creating the product. However, chances are that the intended audience has changed since then. So, talk to your product team. Learn who they’ve developed the product for and the characteristics of those customers.
You’ll need this information to establish the full scope of information to include in the manual and the language that will resonate with the audience.
Each customer turning to the instruction manual for help will have different knowledge about the product and other needs.
Some will know almost nothing about the product. Other customers may think that they understand its technical intricacies. But in reality, they don’t.
Some will be interested in learning more. Others will just want the information they need at this time, and so on.
Your manual can and should cater to all of them. The best way to do it is by organizing the manual with different needs in mind. Start with the absolute basics, and work toward the most advanced information.
Then, create a table of contents that will help a user identify their needs and knowledge level.
Some customers prefer diagrams. Others want to see pictures of various product parts.
Some will need step-by-step instructions. Others prefer a walkthrough or an explanation.
Unfortunately, you can’t predict which option your customers prefer. For that reason, you should explain information in more than one way. With that, you’ll cater to different customers’ needs and ensure they find the instruction manual valuable.
Manuals are technical by nature. Often, their information requires you to use technical language. However, if possible, try to match the vocabulary with what your ideal customer will understand.
If you sell products to engineers and technically-minded people, the manual could use more complex language.
But if an average person uses your product, try to explain it and its various aspects using language they will understand.
If that’s not possible, then include explanations or a glossary of common technical terms relating to the product.
This way, you’ll at least enable the user to learn and expand their knowledge to a level that will allow them to understand the manual.
The troubleshooting section will allow customers to self-diagnose and resolve issues or problems they may have encountered while using a product.
A troubleshooting guide is a manual section that helps a person identify the problem with the product and offers tips and advice on correcting the issue to make the product operational again.
But to help a user make the most of the troubleshooting section, make it interactive. That way, they’ll be able to use familiar tools to self-diagnose the issue and discover ideas on how to solve it.
Show customers how to use your product correctly with our best instruction manual template. Create powerful product documentation and ensure customer success.
A good instruction manual makes it easy for your customers to use your product successfully. Use our template to offer step-by-step instructions in a digestible, easy-to-follow format.
Every product, from small home appliances to large machinery and more, comes with certain standard items. These could include accessories like a power cord, connection cables, additional parts, or any other item the product requires to run.
And then, there’s the instruction manual.
As a matter of fact, the manual is the one thing you can confidently say you’ll always receive with a product.
But what is the instruction manual? Why is it so important that you find it with every product? And does your product really need it?
Well, in the simplest terms, an instruction manual is a “how-to” guide to using a product.
The document typically contains instructions to set up or assemble a product and guides users through all aspects of operating a product. It also instructs them on how to use a product safely and maintain it to prolong its lifespan.
In short, a manual is detailed guidance from someone who knows how a product works and should be operated.
A strong instruction manual will help customers:
But the instruction manual’s greatest power lies in its familiarity.
Customers expect to find one with any product they buy. Now, it’s true that hardly anyone reads the manual beginning to end. That said, the manual is still the go-to resource for learning more about the product or a reference point for solving particular issues when operating it.
No two instruction manuals are the same.
Some come as bulky books full of complex diagrams and tables of technical data. Others contain only a handful of pages with a few illustrations and text.
The manual’s size and format will largely depend on the product and its complexity.. But there are certain elements you will find in practically every instruction manual:
Now you know what an instruction manual is, what it does, and why you must create it for your product.
Next, let’s talk about how to create an instruction manual that will help your customers get the most out of the product.
Regardless of whether you decide to write the document from scratch or use an instruction manual template, there are steps you must take to complete the project:
Most likely, you completed this step before even creating the product. However, chances are that the intended audience has changed since then. So, talk to your product team. Learn who they’ve developed the product for and the characteristics of those customers.
You’ll need this information to establish the full scope of information to include in the manual and the language that will resonate with the audience.
Each customer turning to the instruction manual for help will have different knowledge about the product and other needs.
Some will know almost nothing about the product. Other customers may think that they understand its technical intricacies. But in reality, they don’t.
Some will be interested in learning more. Others will just want the information they need at this time, and so on.
Your manual can and should cater to all of them. The best way to do it is by organizing the manual with different needs in mind. Start with the absolute basics, and work toward the most advanced information.
Then, create a table of contents that will help a user identify their needs and knowledge level.
Some customers prefer diagrams. Others want to see pictures of various product parts.
Some will need step-by-step instructions. Others prefer a walkthrough or an explanation.
Unfortunately, you can’t predict which option your customers prefer. For that reason, you should explain information in more than one way. With that, you’ll cater to different customers’ needs and ensure they find the instruction manual valuable.
Manuals are technical by nature. Often, their information requires you to use technical language. However, if possible, try to match the vocabulary with what your ideal customer will understand.
If you sell products to engineers and technically-minded people, the manual could use more complex language.
But if an average person uses your product, try to explain it and its various aspects using language they will understand.
If that’s not possible, then include explanations or a glossary of common technical terms relating to the product.
This way, you’ll at least enable the user to learn and expand their knowledge to a level that will allow them to understand the manual.
The troubleshooting section will allow customers to self-diagnose and resolve issues or problems they may have encountered while using a product.
A troubleshooting guide is a manual section that helps a person identify the problem with the product and offers tips and advice on correcting the issue to make the product operational again.
But to help a user make the most of the troubleshooting section, make it interactive. That way, they’ll be able to use familiar tools to self-diagnose the issue and discover ideas on how to solve it.