Simplicity in design - quick start guides
When it comes to ‘quick start guides’ for new software/hardware components (aka installation manuals), more often then not they consist of pages upon pages of small hard to read text, detailing everything from how to install, how to configure, what to do if something goes wrong, and of course the 4 page reminder that electronics and water don’t mix. But do we really need all of this information in a ‘quick start guide’?
If we want to include all of this information (and in some cases we definitely should), wouldn’t this be the kind of information better suited under the title of help manual and keep just the bare basics to the quick start guide?
Today I purchased a Seagate 500GB external hard drive. This is the first thing I saw when I opened the box:
This is a perfect example. Friendly, clean, simple.
(The little yellow sticker says ‘hello’ in case you were wondering)
When you open up the manual its even easier. It opens up to show four steps (one per page).
That’s a hell of a lot easier to comprehend then a 24 page, 8pt font, text from margin to margin manual if you ask me.
Now if only everything could be this simple.
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