An instructional is a tool that describes in a clear and orderly way how a specific action or activity should be done. Through the characteristics of an instructive, you can know the steps to follow to carry out this type of guide that serves to achieve an objective properly.
It is a text that describes systems, products or services and serves as a guide to help the user understand the operation, configurations and assembly of the purchased product. Within the instructions there are also descriptions, directories of maintenance centers, warnings and other aspects that make the functions optimal.
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In this article you will find:
Most important characteristics of an instructional
Although all the instructions are different, they can be used for different products and have general characteristics of an instructive that help users to understand it better, some of them are:
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1. Everyone has a goal or a purpose
These documents are designed in order to achieve an objective or purpose, which defines the steps in detail and thus achieve the success of the instructions. Due to this, they are mostly carried out by specialists such as social communicators, scientists, educators or industrial technicians, among others.
2. Understand easy to understand language
The use of simple language allows a better understanding of the steps to be followed described in the instructions. In case you require technical words, clear definitions are included to the term used to make them easier to understand.
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A clear and simple language serves to facilitate the understanding of the functions of the system or objective, so it is aimed at all types of readers. Most do not have technical languages and if some do, they include glossaries where special words are explained.
3. Structure
The instructions are classified in different sections such as index, instructions, technical data of the product, warnings and glossary, they also include a fairly short general description that can be placed among the first pages.
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4. Contain list of items required or supplied
Some instructions include a list of materials that the user may need, such as the recipes that the user may need. require some ingredients or a game that teaches how to make a paper figure that requires the use of sheets of paper and colors.
There are also how-tos that mention a number of items on your list, which are needed to accompany a team. As is the case with the instructions for installing a television, which indicates that it includes various accessories to handle it, such as adapters, batteries and remote control, among others.
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5. Includes warning calls
Another important feature is that it warns of the consequences that can arise in case the steps or stages are carried out incompletely or inappropriately. An example could be a warning not to expose certain equipment to moisture to reduce the risk of electric shock.
6. Diagrams
These documents have diagrams that can be used as a guide to identify the parts of a product and also the steps to follow to avoid confusion.
7. Design
The design allows the presentation of the information to be displayed in an organized way. By including images, less time is spent processing the tutorial so users will see and respond to the quality of the design rather than the efficiency and quality of the content.
Even if it does not include images or graphics, the user will consider the design where there is a design that demonstrates an order of information, titles, font size, colors, font, white spaces and other elements that allow to guide the user without difficulty.
8. Maintains an order
The steps that fulfill the main objective of the instructions, maintain a strict order that is mostly listed.
9. They have adequate explanations
This characteristic is essential, since they usually correctly explain all the functions of the products, equipment and even the parts they comprise.
10. Include images and graphics
Many times these documents incorporate graphics or images to schematically describe the steps and processes that the user must follow. For example, in the case of electronic equipment, images are placed in the instructions to indicate where the different elements that it comprises are located.
11. Neat guide
In all instructions, there is an ordered guide that includes instructions that indicate the steps that the user must follow and indicates some options that the product can offer. These guides are used both for functions and to indicate the parts of the system. In addition, it contains descriptions and ways to identify each of the parts of the product.
12. Imperative mode
Both the instructions and the commands in an instruction, the imperative mood is used in order to address the user with a direct and active language where specific verbs are incorporated.
Within the characteristics of an instruction manual with specific indications, are the steps that must be followed to perform an action in an orderly, sequential manner and in order to leave an adequate learning to the user of how to carry out said action. If you want to get information related to this topic, visit our website.
Sources and references
- González G. (2019, April) Instructive.
- Mendoza F. (2020, January) What Is An Instruction Manual And What Is It For - Types And Structure.
