A new guidance released by the user support team has raised many questions for constituents. They want to know exactly how to use that one device or that one system. The problem is, the instruction isn’t very clear. It doesn’t tell you that you need to simultaneously press down and hold the button.
The first thing the brief action instruction lays out is to press a button and keep holding it. Users will want to do this action concurrently. The guidance is silent on how long one should press the button. This lack of clarity has caused confusion to the end users who depend on detailed guidance to successfully complete tasks through a complex user interface.
In such a case, we ask users to proactively reach out to our support team. If you think the instruction above could be a mistake, please contact us right away! Our entire support team is at the ready to answer any questions you might have. They’re truly your advocates when it comes to solving your device or interoperability woes! We kept the instruction formal thinking it would keep the user clear on expectations, but that actually misled our users. They’re accustomed to a greater level of prescriptive direction and may want for more explanation.
As any marketer will tell you, the directive has been smartly simple and straightforward. It provides users a clear directive without encouraging dialogue or debate. Yet the lack of uniformity in their implementation – including lack of detailed information about the device or system – makes the important task even more complicated. Otherwise, users will be left guessing as to how to use the instruction without any additional guidance.
As the technology grows, effective communication becomes more important than ever in how users interact with new technologies, devices and systems. The user’s need to follow very short commands reinforces the necessity of thoughtful UI design. Additionally, it underscores the importance of clear, detailed guidance that can meet users where they are, regardless of their experience or familiarity with technical tools.