Case Study

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Chapter 7

Case Study

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"Check out my instructions for changing a flat tire," says Terry, who works with you at the Campus Car Center, a gas station next to the campus where you're taking a technical communication class. Your manager asked you to come up with some car maintenance info sheets you could distribute free to customers, something that wouldn't cost too much time or money to produce that nonetheless sends the message that the center "goes the extra mile" for customer service. "We can hand these out to our customers. They can keep them in their car, where they'll come in handy in case someone gets a flat and doesn't know how to put on the spare. Plus, they're easier to use than pulling out the owner's manual." Terry hands you the instructions. "What do you think?"

You look at the instructions. They consist of three stapled 8 1/2 x 11" pages, with text on the front side of the paper only, looking much like the research paper you turned in this morning. You immediately notice the lack of visuals, and how text-heavy the pages appear with very little white space. While the steps are numbered, they aren't in imperative mood. You see the directions could be simplified by putting them in imperative mood and eliminating unnecessary text. The type size looks small, you estimate a 10-point font, and the lines are long, extending the length of the page. You imagine someone trying to change a flat tire at night using Terry's instructions. "I have a few ideas on how we can make these easier to use," you begin. Suggest ways to redesign the instructions to accommodate the conditions in which readers will use them.

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