From the category archives:

instructional design

The Spatial Demands of Assembly Instructions

by Anne McLaughlin
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I purchased a “build it yourself” cabinet over the internet, naively thinking that it couldn’t be too complicated if they really expected me to assemble it. Boy, was I wrong.
Take these instructions for example:
“Tap in post with a hammer to start and screw down with a screwdriver or with a small allen wrench until the shoulder of the post hits [...]

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This does not bode well for the on-device user experience…

by Richard Pak
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Gizmodo reviewed the Nook e-book reader from Barnes & Noble. Unfortunately (for B&N), the process of opening the package was so cumbersome, most of the review dwells on that aspect:
In other words, the Nook packaging actually necessitates these lengthy instructions, as ridiculous as they are in their own right. Somehow, Barnes & Noble invented a box that’s [...]

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