Examining documentation and help systems since 2002.
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Gordon R. Meyer
Copyright 2002-2008
Mistaking broken products for confusing instructions
A study by Accenture, as discussed in 95 Percent of All Returned Gadgets Still Work, Americans Don't Read Manuals - Engadget, suggests that nearly 70% of all product returns are the result of too much complexity and confusing, if not ignored, instructional material. The comments about the post at Engadget are stereotypically inane, but worth reading from a humanistic instructional design perspective; the tendency to blame customers for the fault of the product is certainly prevalent in the real world, too.
Posted: Sunday, July 13, 2008 link to this item, respond to this item