As a society, we are constantly met with instructions in our day to day life, from preparing a meal or to playing a board game. Instructional Design is formatted to ‘instruct’ and explain to users how the things works and how to operate it/them. Instructions need to be clear and flow, making it easy for individuals to understand the task at hand. It is strongly recommended to avoid the use of photographs when designing a set of instructions, as with too much detail, the instructional aspect can be lost.
Graphics are preferred as they allow for the designer to isolate the most important details, creating focal points. They provide clarity and allow for movements and actions to be prominent within the design. Swedish company Ikea is known for their difficult to understand instructions. Ikea, a company that reaches an international market, relies only on imagery to appeal to it’s wide customer base. Though their illustrations are simple, the context behind them is lost when no form of movement or action is provided. Poorly designed instructions lead to frustrating experiences.
Cmielewski, Leon. (2019). Instructional Design. 102265 Graphic Design: Introduction to Interactive Design. [Video File].
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