Nikon Coolpix

Nikon Coolpix Critique

A user guide or manual is a technical communication document intended to give assistance to people using a particular system. These manuals are given to help you gain information or assistance on the product you have purchased or are thinking about purchasing.

In this paper I will evaluate and critique the user manual for Nikon Coolpix (http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/coolpix/CP5700man.pdf) with which I am thinking about purchasing. I will evaluate five criteria s organization, layout, use of visuals, written instructions, and overall appearance that makes a manual successful.

Organization:

The organization of this manual is excellent. They use a step guide to give the reader the information they need to know to understand how to use the camera. The step by step guide breaks up the portions of the information so the reader does not get confused. They create what they call a “Flowchart Guide” which break down the rest of the manual into easy-to-read portions. One negative aspect I feel that this manual has involving organization is that I feel that the subjects bounce around. For example the how to use the “Menu Guide” is toward the end of the manual. The menu guide is a major role when organizing and dealing with functions on your camera and should be toward the top.

Layout:

The layout of this manual is well structured and easy to follow along with. The diagrams, pictures, and heading are well separated and stand out like they should. Some of the typeface does get confusing in some parts. For example, on page 77 the “Making Movies” tab, the typeface mixed with the background design they put behind the lettering tends to get a little blurry. Although they do a good job of subjects standing out; it seems that there is to much going on and gets confusing.

Use of Visuals:

The lack of great visuals in this manual shocked me. In most parts the pictures tend to be small and cramped together. Visuals are supposed to help the reader...