Using Comic Books for Technical Instruction 

It's one of those amusing facts: when you tell someone you're a technical writer, you explain it by saying that you write "instructions." This is often the view people have of what technical writers do. Of course this view is completely inaccurate because technical writers create all kinds of documents and information pieces, not just instructions. But even so, instruction writing--especially for the software industry--remains one of the biggest concentrations within technical writing. However, writing instructions--dull as it may seem--can be interesting and fun, especially when you approach it as Google did when they created the documentation for their new web browser, Chrome.

Google has always been a bit quirky. From their logo to the names of their products (Sketchup), they take a sideways approach to what they do. So it really isn't that surprising to me that the end-user documentation for Chrome is a comic book.

Using comic books to dispel technical information is certainly not new. The US Army for example has been using comic books for years to relay important instructions to its troops. The picture below is from a comic book made in the 1960's that tells soldiers how to care for and clean their M-16 rifle.

Using comic books for technical instructions may seem odd, but there are actually some very good reasons why this approach is sensible. First, comic books allow the writers to employ a character to tell the reader how something works. Therefore, it is more conversational and more like learning from a tutor or instructor than a linearly structured set of instructions.

Obviously the graphic and text can be more dynamic and interesting in what would otherwise be bland information. Though the graphics are cartoon-like, that is what makes them so appealing to a wide variety of readers.

It also allows more abstract concepts to be explained more easily. In Google's case the concept is the mechanism of the Chrome web browser. The character "tells" you how the web works in general, and then "tells" you how Chrome is different than other web browsers.

Another aspect about using comic books for technical instruction is that it can be appealing to a younger or less educated audience. This point was not lost on the Army, and is probably the principle reason they used comic books to tell young soldiers how to properly handle their weapons.

The above point also makes comic books ideal to be used for a broader audience. In technical writing one of the unwritten rules is to write for the lowest common denominator--the person who is the least educated or knowledgeable in the subject. This strategy allows you to hit more readers than otherwise, and it saves you time from writing a different document for each set of readers.

There are drawbacks of course. One in particular is that comic books are fairly cultural, and not every culture will recognize their usefulness (or lack of usefulness). They may be perceived as childish or silly by some, and run a risk of not being taken seriously. In all, though, they present a great way to do something different when writing instructions.

For technical, professional and business communication help in the Las Cruces, NM area, visit Lanier Infomedia. 

Last update: 27-03-2009 13:37