Instruction book design

A unique and significant element of our work is instruction book design. Analysis shows that inadequate instruction books account for a significant percentage of total product returns, but this needn’t be the case. We can assess and make improvements to your existing instruction books, or we can design and write them from scratch.

Building on our foundations as information designers, we have, for over five years, been responsible for designing, writing, typesetting and illustrating over 100 instruction books for items including:

• Compact and digital cameras
• Kettles
• Hairdryers
• Vacuum cleaners
• Desktop fans
• Personal organisers
• Calculators
• Microwaves
• Videos
• NICAM widescreen televisions
• Dolby digital surround sound systems
• Personal cassette, MD and CD players
• Mini, midi and stacking hi-fi systems
• CD-ROM drives
• Office furniture (from desks to workstations)

The process

A rare combination of design/writing skills and technical know-how come together. Taking a product sample, we analyse how it works and, if necessary, provide a report to the client to enable them to assess its commercial viability. We thoroughly test the product to assess the best operational procedure for the end user, and then design and write the instruction book with them in mind. Illustrations are based on digital photography to show the product as clearly as possible. All these elements are brought together to produce a finished, printable (or electronic) instruction book.

We are the only design company in the country to offer such a complete service in this area.

Our instruction book design clients include:

• DAL Electronics
• Dixons Stores Group (Mastercare)
• LG Electronics