Technical Manuals for Industrial Products: A Lost Art?

The fast rate of change in some industries, along with changing needs and qualifications of industrial-product users, have made it difficult for manufacturers to produce up-to-date instructions or service and user's manuals. Innovations are frequently so rapid and extensive that technical write...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marketing news 1982-06, Vol.15 (26), p.12
Main Author: Razzouk, Nabil Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Documentation
Industrial
Manuals
Products
Satisfaction
Technical
Users
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The fast rate of change in some industries, along with changing needs and qualifications of industrial-product users, have made it difficult for manufacturers to produce up-to-date instructions or service and user's manuals. Innovations are frequently so rapid and extensive that technical writers simply can't keep up with them. A recent survey asked 101 industrial users of computer graphics systems if they were satisfied with the manufacturers' technical documentation; nearly half said no. Many were also disappointed with product performance as a result of insufficient or faulty documentation. Sixty-six computer manufacturers were surveyed to see how they prepare and write their technical manuals. Results indicated that the entire process of documentation was disorganized and underdeveloped in most companies, and entirely inconsistent within the industry as a whole. Adequate user and service manuals are necessary to achieving long-term product success in the marketplace; they should be compatible with the needs and skills of the user.
ISSN:0025-3790