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User Manual Critique

In: English and Literature

Submitted By brennalee13
Words 721
Pages 3
User Manual Critique
Brenda Wissman
ENG/221
November 17, 2014
Nancy Feldman

User Manual Critique
The technology we have today can at times be confusing for those that use it. To compensate for this almost all devices come with a manual that explains the proper usage of the device. These manuals break down each part of the device and gives the user a detailed description of what should be done and how it should be done properly. These manuals also inform the owner of what could happen if proper instructions are not followed. This paper is going to look at the user manual for the Samsung Galaxy S4 which is a smart phone. This paper will look at the manual and critique it for a number of things such as readability and understanding of the content.
The first part of the manual that I am going to critique is the how well the manual is written. The manual is written in a way that most users will be able to understand what the manual is telling them to do. However, in the beginning of the manual it seems that it is backtracking when it gets to the point of telling the user was is to be found in the packaging. I would have put that information first and then proceed with discussing the device. The manual however, begins by describing the device, and then informs the user what should be in the package. The packaging information should also be listed first because it states in the wording that the device may look differently than described so this should be listed before the basic phone description to avoid confusion. While the written part of the manual is important visual aids are also important to show the user exactly what should be done.
The second part of this critique will cover the visual aids that are present in the user manual for the Samsung Galaxy S4. Throughout the entire user manual there are visual aids to help the user understand the steps that should be taken or the actions that can be completed. Included in these visual aids are descriptions about the phone itself a well as the hand and head gestures that can be made in order for it to work. These visual aids as well as the written information make it extremely easy for the user to understand how the phone works as well as how to make it work.
The rest of this critique will cover items such as the table of contents, the flow of the information, and icon usage. The table of contents for the user manual is organized by showing the organization of the manual as well as page numbers where information can be referenced by the user. The table of contents is broken down with different catagories and then subcategories. This makes it easier when referencing the information at a later date because the user is able to look at the main topics and go from there. The information the manual contains flows smoothly from one subject to another. Each part of the information is clearly labeled and easy to locate when looking it up. The icons however, that are used throughout the manual can be confusing if the user has trouble remembering what they stand for. The icons are explained in the very beginning of the book yet if the user is just skimming the manual they might not understand what the icons mean. While they may seem to be easy enough to understand there is still a chance that a user may not know what they stand for.
A user manual is meant to not only inform the user about a device, but should also be easy for them to understand how to properly operate the device. While every contingency may not be met they should at least be thought about and implemented wherever it can. This works for a user manual as well as the person attempting to use the device, for it could be someone that has never used a similar device before. This means that everything should be easy to understand preparing for the contingency that the user is new to the device.

References
Samsung (2013). Samsung Galaxy S4 Manual User Guide and Instructions. Retrieved from samsunggalaxys4manual.com: http://www.samsunggalaxys4manual.com/

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