Introduction
Manuals are an integral part of a product and every product has one. A manual is a detailed information guide of a product and sheds light on the important aspects of that particular equipment. A product or equipment consists of parts that are combined to design or manufacture the final output. Even if it is as small as a toy car, it would consist of parts such as the outer casing, inner machinery and so on. To make the users understand the product, OEMs publish detailed, documented information that is shipped along with the product.
In earlier days, these consisted of hard copies – printed on paper that would be sent to all the stakeholders. But, as technology has progressed, these static pieces of paper have turned into interactive manuals. In this blog today, we will talk about the shift from traditional manuals to digital manuals.
Manuals: The Evolution
Manuals have been in the industry for as long as one can remember. They have been the fundamental aspect of any documentation of a product which was provided to users in a printed format. This booklet would contain every minute detail and provide comprehensive knowledge about the product to its users. OEMs would provide diagrams and illustrations to provide as much clarity and detail as possible, making them illustrative in nature. However, even with those illustrations, they had their limitations which led to the launch of interactive manuals.
Drawbacks of Traditional Manuals:
Limited Interactions
The traditional paper manuals were deprived of interactive illustrations and were devoid of any presentations in multimedia format. This made their engagement with users limited.
Challenges in Updating
As these manuals were printed on paper and shipped to dealers and service centers, the OEMs were unable to make any changes after they were shipped. Thus, a single change in this paper manual would call for re-printing of the whole manual.
High Distribution Costs
These paper manuals would need to be shipped to every dealer and service or repair center. This accounted for additional logistical costs for OEMs.
Impact on Environment
These paper manuals didn’t turn out to be sustainable as they were made of paper and they added to high paper consumption and waste generation.
Interactive Digital Manuals
These are product manuals that are immersive and engaging for users. By leveraging high-quality multimedia features such as videos, interactive product diagrams, and animations, they enhance the user experience. By utilizing these interactive features, they offer a greater and detailed visualization for users which has great applications in training the workforce and technicians in a more engaging way. Many digital manuals also incorporate 3D models which leads to an enhanced visualization of complex issues technicians might encounter during repair or maintenance. Such applicability not only enhances the user experience but also becomes an important tool for training and quality.
What Led to The Rise of Digital Manuals?
As Charles Darwin theorized evolution, it isn’t just applicable to humans but to everything on this planet. It is crucial for everyone and everything that they serve a purpose and adapt to the changing environment. In a similar case with paper manuals, it was found that although they are illustrative and informative, it took a lot of time to distribute these manuals to all stakeholders. In addition to time, it also costs the OEM extra money to have these paper manuals shipped to all dealers and service centers. This led to the provocative thought of having a solution which caters to this challenge. Thus, came interactive manuals which offered flexibility and saved costs for OEMs. They are also editable and can accommodate any changes in the product description and specifications. All these features made digital manuals the go-to solution for every OEM.
Interactive Manuals: Benefits
Let us now look at the benefits of interactive manuals and the value they add to the OEMs and their stakeholders.
User Engagement Magnified
These interactive manuals are instilled with rich multimedia features that make them a sought-after solution. The videos, animations and 3D/2D illustrations make them easy to use and also a training tool for technicians.
Understanding Complex Issues
The challenge of handling complex issues with traditional manuals was not fulfilled. It was essential to adopt a solution that would have advanced features to offer a more detailed view of such complex problems. These interactive manuals have simulations and animations that can be used to understand complex challenges and issues with utmost ease.
Accessibility and Availability
Digital manuals have a higher degree of accessibility as they can be accessed anytime, anywhere in the world and provide informative contests with the latest updates to the users.
Updatable With Latest Information
Paper manuals had a limitation that if there was even a single change, the whole manual would need to be re-printed and re-distributed. This is not the case with digital manuals. They can be updated anytime and can be shared instantly with the users without any challenges.
Quick Feedback Incorporation
With advanced and interactive manuals, any feedback collected can be worked on instantly and incorporated with ease which makes this solution complete.
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Conclusion
Traditional paper manuals provided the information that was required by the users but lacked the engagement and immersive experience that a digital manual provides. Traditional manuals would need to be shipped and shared for every change and update, but this was catered to with digital manuals. These are just two examples of how technology has helped us with advanced solutions. There are obvious reasons why any OEM would choose to opt for a digital manual and how it offers greater scalability for OEMs.
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