Instruction Manuals
Instruction manuals, sometimes referred to as owner’s manuals, are guides frequently packaged with a variety of products that explain how they are meant to be used. Instruction manuals frequently feature detailed information about the product, such as dimensions, power consumption as well as a list of components, however the primary purpose of instruction manuals is to explain how a product is used.
It used to be very common for instruction manuals to be extremely detailed, including circuit diagrams and instructions for repair. However this practice is fairly uncommon today and most modern instruction manuals are quite simple, particularly as many modern products are fair to complex to warrant including a guide for user repair.
Some modern products which traditional would have included instruction manuals no longer do. For example computer games would also include a printed instruction manual, but many modern games do not, substituting them with links to online instruction manuals, or simply replacing manuals with tutorial levels.
Many printed instruction manuals will include instructions in several languages. This is done to reduce cost for the manufacturers as it allows products to be sold in different countries without the need for new instruction manuals in different languages to be printed.
More and more companies are choosing to not include printed instruction manuals. Many computer components will not be packaged with an instruction manual, but will instead include a CDROM or DVD containing user’s guides and various other information. Links to online troubleshooting guides will also often be included on these interactive instruction manuals.