Technical Standards Names Worst Manual
Annual
contest taps into universal frustration caused by poor documentation and
underscores the importance of clear technical writing.
Technical Standards, Southern California's source for specialized documentation staffing and technical writing, announces the winning entry in its fourth annual Worst Manual Contest. This year's $100 prize goes to Rhonda Bracey of South Perth, Western Australia for her submission of a two-page segment of a user's guide.
"The frustration that's caused by a poorly written manual is almost a universal experience. Poor documentation can cause more confusion than comprehension and can lead to liability issues and hidden costs for companies," said Michelle Wier of Technical Standards. "On the other hand, good product documentation results in satisfied repeat customers, reduced costs, and limited liability exposure for companies."
With entries solicited from the 25,000+ membership of the Society for Technical Communication, Technical Standards' Worst Manual Contest is designed to underscore the importance of clear technical writing for everything from consumer products, computer hardware and software, to employee handbooks.
This Year's Winner: the "Safety Section" of a Commercial Air Conditioner's User's Guide
This year's worst manual is a section of a user's guide for a commercial product marketed to the general public. Rhonda Bracey's entry consisted of only the two-page Safety Section, but that was enough! As Rhonda puts it, "Translator beware!" If the phrase, "to have the observance without fail to prevent the damage to harm and the property beforehand to the person who use this product and other persons" doesn't scare you, then some of the other text will!
The symbol key alone provided much material for the staff at Technical Standards to question. For example, the symbol key twice listed a symbol that wasn't referenced in the text, and failed to list a symbol that was referenced. In another instance, the same symbol was used for both Warning and Caution, each representing very different consequences. The difference between possible death compared to minor injury or material damage seems worth having its own distinction. There were also some amusing symbol descriptions such as, "Attention rousing," "Prohibition" and "Compulsion."
A few excerpts:
"Please do not put the one embarrassed because it gets wet under the air conditioner."
"To apply the cold wind to the body for a longtime and so as to not exist about cooling too much."
"Do not blow the wind to animals and plants directly. It occasionally causes a bad influence for animals and plants to be exerted."
As in this case, poorly written manuals for consumer products can often be attributed to translation problems. Clear, accurate translations are extremely important when communicating health and safety warnings associated with operating or assembling a product.
"For many end users, bad documentation amounts to nothing more than an inconvenience and possibly a poor impression of the company," said Wier. "But for companies, the results can affect the bottom line in terms of overloaded help lines, reduced revenues from dissatisfied customers who won't come back, and increased liability."
To view the top entries and more information about Technical Standards' fourth annual Worst Manual Contest, go to www.tecstandards.com.
About Technical Standards
Technical Standards provides documentation writing and staffing services to Southern California companies in a wide range of industries. Carefully assessing the specific needs of its clients, Technical Standards provides a customized fit for each job by handpicking candidates from its pool of writers. When handling outsourced projects, Technical Standards produces clear, accurate, and understandable documentation to help ensure end-user satisfaction and reduced liability.
