Why the iPad User Guide Matters [Good Design #4]

Have you considered how the design of your technical materials is shaping your customers’ opinions of you? Are they impressed or turned off? Glad they chose you, or discouraged by the sea of text? Apple is known for its exceptional design in everything they do, and there’s a reason they extend that to their technical content. They know that everything their customers see will shape perceptions of Apple and its products. The iPad user guide is a big deal.

This is the fourth in a series of posts that discuss Dieter Rams’s 10 principles of good design and why good design is necessary for your content. In this series we explore each of the principles and what it means for content writing and technical writing.

Today we look at the third principle of good design:

Good design is aesthetic. The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful.

Your Brand Depends on Aesthetics

This principle applies as much to your content and technical documents as it does to your product. Technical documentation in particular is often seen as the ugly stepchild of product development, and so of course it ends up looking ugly. But this has ramifications. It affects how your customers view the product and your company.

Everything your customer sees will influence his or her opinion of your company. If your content is ugly, it sends a message about your company itself. Even if your customers never take the time to read the content, they’ll see it. And a quick glance is enough to shape their opinions.

Need more reasons to create aesthetic content? Here are three more:

• We trust what is aesthetic. Aesthetic designs are seen as more trustworthy. Again, think of Apple’s products. Psychology supports this, too—we trust beautiful people more easily than homely people. Companies that are trusted are also seen as thought leaders. So if you want to gain trust, make all of your content aesthetic.
• We like what is aesthetic. Humans are naturally attracted to beauty. We’re designed to seek it out. So when your content is aesthetic, your customers will like it. They’ll enjoy seeing it, and they’ll be more likely to use it. They will also be more likely to associate their enjoyment of the content with their opinion of your company. Don’t miss this point: your customers’ opinion of your content will influence their opinion of your company. Message boards are stuffed with users who resent companies for their crappy manuals. If you want your customers to love your company, give them reasons to love your content as well.
• We remember and understand what is aesthetic. Aesthetic content inherently makes more sense than ugly content. And because aesthetic content is more likeable, they will spend more time viewing it, which leads to greater retention and understanding.

A Word of Caution

Don’t fall in love with aesthetics for their own sake. Good design is built on functionality. Beautiful content ceases to be well designed when its aesthetics get in the way of its usability.

How Then Shall We Design?

Often, little changes can make a big difference. A good starting place is the book The Non-Designer’s Design Book  by Robin Williams. If your content needs more than just a tweak here and there, or if you want an aesthetic design that’s impressive and comprehensive, it can create a drain on your resources—especially during the learning curve phase. Evaluate your resources before you begin the project.

Many of our clients come to us looking for exceptional writing that is also visually appealing. Their past content has been anything from unremarkable to embarrassing and they want their materials to reflect their company’s leadership in the industry. These clients continue to use Intext Writing for authoritative and compelling content  that they can proudly give to customers, investors, and partners.

Whether your materials just need a bit of tweaking or an overhaul from a professional content writer, make sure they’re well designed and aesthetic. The impact on your customers will be worth it!

Also in this series:

• The 10 Commandments for Designing Your Content
• What’s the Point of Innovation?
• How Companies Make Their Products Useless (And How to Avoid It)

Photo credit: The D34n