best way to write assembly instructions

[Graham Taylor]

Hi,

I need to write some assembly instructions, simillar to the Ikea instructions, for a product I have designed.

Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

Cheers,

Graham

[Ross Moshinsky]

Make a PDF with step by step instructions and by step by step, I mean it. Less words, more pictures. Most people use a combination of 3D CAD renderings and actual photos. If you don't have a 3D CAD program, actual pictures should work.

If you're really serious about it, make a YouTube video.

[Bert Kemp]

I very rarely find instructions to be all that helpful. I'm always saying to myself "did the idiot who wrote this try to follow his own instructions.
so my advice would be to write the instructions while your actually putting it together, step by step and leave nothing out no matter how simple you think it is. After you do that then take pictures of the process and and put corresponding words with the pictures. Then give it to tour wife or a neighbors wife and see if they can follow your instructions.Don't give it to a kid they can figure anything out LOL

[Dan Hintz]

I very rarely find instructions to be all that helpful. I'm always saying to myself "did the idiot who wrote this try to follow his own instructions.

This, or the writer/illustrator made unconscious assumptions because they designed or work with it every day.

Once you're done, hand it to someone who has never worked with your stuff before (wife? older kid?) and let them take a crack at it. If they encounter any issues, make a note of it and add a step.

[William Adams]

When doing the instructions for the ShapeOko 2, I found making the assembly diagrams interactive helped w/ hidden and obscured parts.

docs.shapeokodotcom

docs.shapeokodot..com/content/tPictures/PS20028-100.svg

[Graham Taylor]

Thanks for the advice. I have decided to assemble it and take some pics at various stages with a few words.

P.S. I know what you mean about the youth of today, I worked in technology all my life and designed the LAN and CATV networks for a few of the venues on the Olympic park for London 2012 but still have to ask my 12yr old nephew about this Facebook, Twitter and periscope malarkey.

[Clark Pace]

Thanks for the advice. I have decided to assemble it and take some pics at various stages with a few words.

P.S. I know what you mean about the youth of today, I worked in technology all my life and designed the LAN and CATV networks for a few of the venues on the Olympic park for London 2012 but still have to ask my 12yr old nephew about this Facebook, Twitter and periscope malarkey.

Make a short video!

[Paul Lawrence]

You can't just assemble it once and get meaningful output.

You have to be willing/prepared to keep assembling/disassembling many times until you get it right. Get in the mindset that it takes as much work to document something completely as it does to build it from scratch.

Documentation is not just the last step in construction. Most "instructions" that I've seen could benefit greatly if the documentation process were handled as well as the original design and/or construction process.

[Graham Taylor]

Make a short video!

Sadly I think I am more suited to radio than video

[Bert Kemp]

To Turn the computer off first press the START button

[Dennis Rech]

Hi,

I need to write some assembly instructions, simillar to the Ikea instructions, for a product I have designed.

Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

Cheers,

Graham

We prefer to do it with cartoons and a bit of text.
Always, one page for each step.
Mirror-o-Matic Page 16.jpg
Dennis

[William Adams]

I find video instructions annoying.

I’ve also lost count of the number of such which are not updated to correct errors which I’ve pointed out, or changes to parts.

Any set of instructions must be maintained in an editable form which allows for easy up-dating.

[Jeff Belany]

Find some guy in China or India who barely understands the English language. Seems like those are the guys who write the instructions I tend to get. (Just a JOKE, son)

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Prashun Patel]

Can't speak for China, but India has the the second highest number of English speakers in the world

As for assembly instructions, Put a link to a Youtube video...

[Bill Cunningham]

Thanks for the advice. I have decided to assemble it and take some pics at various stages with a few words.

P.S. I know what you mean about the youth of today, I worked in technology all my life and designed the LAN and CATV networks for a few of the venues on the Olympic park for London 2012 but still have to ask my 12yr old nephew about this Facebook, Twitter and periscope malarkey.

Ha! That reminds me of this cartoon
Cbook.jpg