Tell the User How to Use It—Not How It Works

Consider the following two passages:

Passage A:
1. Moving the toggle switch to the ON position closes the switch contacts.
2. Closing the switch contacts completes the electrical circuit to the lamp.
3. Electricity flowing through the circuit causes the tungsten filament in the lamp to glow, illuminating the lamp.
4. Moving the toggle switch to the OFF position, opens the switch contacts, interrupting the flow of electricity, and causing the tungsten filament to cease to glow, darkening the lamp.

Passage B:
1. To turn on the light, move the toggle switch to the ON position.
2. To turn off the light, move the toggle switch to the OFF position.

Too many user instructions, especially for technical products, such as digital cameras and computer software, read like Passage A. The reason is often that they are written by the designer, because the designer is the only person who understands the product! Users don’t need (or want!) to know how the product functions—they only need to know how to operate it. Be sure that your instructions focus on how to use the product, not how the product works.