Last week, we introduced you to the idea of Instructions of Legend. We delved into the renowned instructions of LEGO, which brought back memories from the childhood for many. However, what exactly do we mean by this term?
At StepAlong, when we talk about Instructions of Legend, we have in mind those instructions that have become so widely recognized that they are now ingrained in culture. Companies such as LEGO, IKEA and Haynes are some examples. What do these companies have in common?
Importance Of Instructions To The Business
Each of these companies has identified that instructions are integral to customer experience and success of product. This means recognizing that customers rely on instructions to use the product and that poor instructions can result in frustration, bad user experience, and even product returns. (We have written a separate post on how instructions are the last mile of customer experience). In Haynes’ case, the product is an instruction manual, so their commitment to making them great was significant. They addressed the issue of car manufacturers’ poor instructions and created a product that allowed people to save money and complete repairs on their own.
Instructions Receive Appropriate Investment
When the company recognizes the significance of instructions, they invest time and money to make them as great as possible. LEGO have established a dedicated team solely for the purpose of designing instructions. And at IKEA, the instruction designers begin the design process by assembling a product themselves, seeking potential errors or areas of confusion.
Creation Of A Design Language
They experiment with and then establish specific and consistent design approaches – style, icons, perspective – that over time become an established visual language that users recognize and begin to understand. When IKEA started to open stores internationally, their instructions were the butt of many jokes, but customers eventually learned and adapted to them. Today, IKEA’s approach of using clean illustrations, simple icons and a fixed perspective is recognizable and well-established.
Discipline & Commitment
The company is committed, and instruction creation is integrated into the product design and manufacturing process, rather than being an afterthought. One of the key things that strikes you about great instructions is their focus. This feature is a reflection of how the company is disciplined enough to let the customer focus on this one thing without getting sidetracked by cross-selling and marketing distractions (at least until the end).
Use Technology To Remain Relevant
Changes are often reflected because of advancements in technology (better quality, printing, color, new formats, etc.). While the overall approach to the instruction remains the same, technology can support it in new ways and be an enabler of opportunities. While LEGO manuals retain their appearance, the LEGO Builder app digitizes them and offers new ways of building.
Do Things Slowly, Making Sure They Really Work
To ensure that changes are implemented effectively, the company follows a slow and deliberate process. This involves patience, careful planning and thorough testing to ensure the instructions promote long-term success. This is partly because both LEGO and IKEA create products meant to be part of people’s lives for a long time. Through consistent product and instruction design, with the exception of small changes, LEGO established a reputation for reliability and earned the trust of their customers.
Supporting The Community
The company supports – or at least does not disparage – users wanting to be creative and develop innovative ideas using their products. A popular trend among IKEA customers is to transform their products into stylish home decor, known as IKEA Hacks or DIYs. For example, one can visit ikeahackers.net, a website filled with ideas on how to create new things using IKEA products.
Conclusion
The success that LEGO, IKEA and Haynes have in common is a testament to the value of prioritizing instructions. As a result, their instructions have passed from only supporting the products, to being rooted in culture and have helped redefine our expectations of what good instruction design should look like. The instructions and setup of their products are key to their customer experience, so much so that they have made them as important as the product itself, giving the customer the confidence to know that they can take these pieces and make them into something useful.
If you can think of any Instructions of Legend, feel free to leave a comment!
