| To:
Robin Medeiros, Director of Communications
From:
Steven J. Joles, Team Lead
Date:
07/12/2002
Re:
Procedures and processes
It appears you were correct about the problems with
our instruction manuals not being clear and concise. This report points
out the major shortcomings and possible remedies. |
| Findings |
|
- The instructions for the Widget
cooking system are very unclear, it appears many people are continuing
to use heat from a stove or oven.
- There are no visuals in the
manual, nothing to warn of the danger when you do apply heat.
- The readability and technical level of
the document assumes 8 years at MIT.
- There is no step-by-step
instruction of the processes involved, just an introduction and
conclusion.
|
| Conclusions |
|
- If we do not clarify the
instructions quickly we open ourselves to substantial litigation.
- If we don’t use warnings and
visuals properly someone is going to get killed by the Widget
exploding when you apply heat.
- We need to rewrite the manual so
it can be understood by anyone, especially since the target market is
people with 3rd grade education.
- Without step-by-step instructions
nobody would ever be able to assemble all 18,537 pieces of the Widget
cooking system.
|
| Recommendations |
|
| We need to rewrite
our entire instruction manual before we end up getting sued. |
- Have a panel test the manual for readability
before it goes out to the public.
- Place warnings and visuals in the manual to avoid
liability, we have to warn about the explosive danger if exposed to
heat.
- With our target audience being southern rednecks
looking to panfry catfish we need to write the manual so they can
understand it.
- The manual needs to be laid out more carefully
and very step-by-step given the number of pieces involved.
|
