I, being a Te-ego type, tend to have one of two approaches to manuals. If they are short and the subject matter is simple, I will quickly flip through the pages, scanning for major warnings, and then will discard the manual.
If the manual covers a topic which I know nothing about, I will once again skim the table of contents, look for warnings, and will thoroughly read any sections that pertain to whatever it is I'm trying to do. Then I keep the manual around.
In cases where I really know nothing about the topic and I don't want to devote any brain space to learning it, I will call the help desk and ask a human for specific instructions. Immediate problem solved, move on to the next problem.
The very best manual I've ever read was the Jaguar XKE Service manual. It was a nearly perfect blend of facts, procedures, operation, and reasons for why things are the way they are. It even had a section on tuning the car for racing. Second best but much farther on down the comprehensible line are the Mercedes Service manuals. They are divided into sometimes arbitrary sections of the car and describe only the assembly/disassembly procedures. Nothing on design intent, nothing on operation. "We know best for you. Just follow directions." A more LSE manual I have never seen.
Worst by far are the Honda User Manuals. "Here is a picture of the instrument panel with labels." Detailed descriptions of functions and operation are scattered about the manual under the Name of the Day. Odometer Reset button is called Maintenance Minder, and the reset operation is in some obscure other section, like the one describing the oil change intervals. The organization of the information is a perfect example of ADD.



Reply With Quote