What makes an effective set of instructions?
Instruction have to be one of the most fascinating forms of writing because they are so difficult to do well and we get it wrong constantly.
TBH this is not the last you'll hear from me about instructions because there are so many varieties - think recipes, IKEA furniture construction, retrieving your AirBNB keys (always a stressful experience). But today let's talk more broadly about what makes an effective set of instructions and why it's so dang hard to get there.
My dad can't use chopsticks in the same way a bird could not use a VR headset. It's just beyond his understanding of the universe and his own mind. The moment we walk through the door of any establishment that may give him chopsticks, he pulls a passing staff member aside and asks for a fork. And in the unlikely event that he couldn't secure a fork for himself, explaining how to use chopsticks with these ☝️ instructions might push him over the edge.
These instructions obviously stink - they don't help my dad get his meal in his mouth. Non-stinky instructions are effective when they’re invisible and the user breezes through the processes with no niggling fear they’ve got it wrong. Here's what you need to focus on when writing instructions:
Clarity. Instructions should use simple and precise language.
Nuance. The writer should have a technical understanding of the process.
Empathy. Writing instructions requires you to put yourself in the position of the reader and understand what they know, how they interpret words, and what they need to hear to confidently carry out the process.
Active voice. Using passive voice can get incredibly confusing in an instruction manual. For example, "The washing machine must be set to 30 degrees." Set by whom? By me? Is it automatically set?
Formatting. Formatting is crucial for embedding contextual information in instructions. For example, if you use a numbered list, it implies a dependent sequence that has to unfold in a specified order. A bullet list, however, could imply all items are of equal value and confuse the reader.
TL;DR? When writing a set of instructions, imagine my dad trying to use chopsticks, and then make your instructions even clearer.