Designing Instructions

the original instructions were small, cramped, and very difficult to read. My re-design is bigger, more colourful, and much easier to read.

I chose this project for my portfolio because it showcases my design skills, my technical writing skills, and my formatting and layout skills.

I re-designed and re-wrote an existing instruction manual for a solar powered water fountain. The improved instructions manual needed to be accessible, usable, understandable, and easy to search.

I made the instructions more accessible, usable, and easy to search by adding labelled sections in a logical order, by adding appropriate alt text to images (this makes the instructions accessible for blind and visually impaired users), and by including a numbered contents page.

I made the instructions more usable and understandable by writing the instructions in plain English, adding corresponding photographs to each instruction, by using a large sans-serif font, and by using large, clear, high-resolution images.

Transferable Skills

Communication: Communicating the instructions clearly to readers
Creativity: Finding new ways to explain the instructions to readers
Critical Thinking: Logically working out the best layout
Digital: I created the revised instructions using Microsoft Word, and edited the images with GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
Problem Solving: Understanding the original instructions, and redesigning them

What I learned

First and foremost, I learned the importance of good instructions. The original instructions were so poorly written, that I was not able to create better instructions based solely on them. I had to research the product from other sources online to truly understand the product.

Fully understanding the product myself, and how to use it, was essential for me to explain how to use it to others – i.e. to write an improved instructions manual.

I applied the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in creating these instructions. UDL empowers educators to design content that accommodates diversity. My redesigned instructions manual would be used by a wide variety of people, so I used a variety of communication techniques. In addition to the written instructions (explaining the product’s contents, assembly, usage, and troubleshooting), I added labelled photographs to enhance understanding. I placed each photograph on the same page as its corresponding text.

You can read more about the process of redesigning this instruction manual, and view the original instruction manual, on my blog. You can view my re-designed instructions below: