JTCA makes recognition of excellent manuals and other product information and contribute to the development of technical communicators' productive skills and evaluation criteria. The awards are selected according to the Japan Manual Awards Charter
The Japan Manual Contest is held based on the Manual Contest Charter for the following purposes.
- To improve and promote manual evaluation methods by continuing and maintaining a manual contest for the purpose of raising manual quality
- To utilize information obtained from manual contests in order to create manual evaluation guidelines and revise them in line with the changing times
- To develop a highly reliable manual contest with judging that is satisfactory to both manual producers and users
- To honor people involved in producing outstanding manuals
The Results of Japan Manual Awards 2008
The 2008 Japan Manual Contest Report, provides a summary of the contest held this fiscal year. It outlines the contest proceedings, provides descriptions of manuals honored with Honorable Mention (in Category) or higher awards in their respective categories by members of the Second Screening Committee, includes commentary from members of the Final Screening Committee, and publishes comments from everyone receiving Most Outstanding Manual (in Category) awards. This report is not meant to be read as a simply a record of the contest; rather, the hope is that people involved in the daily task of producing manuals will get something out of it and that it will improve manual quality and production techniques in the future. Samples of outstanding manuals based on different evaluation criteria will be selected from among this year’s entries and posted on the Japan Technical Communicators Association’s website in mid-November. We encourage you to view these samples.
The contest is run almost completely by corporate employees who serve as members of the Executive Committee and volunteer as judges. Despite everyone having a day job, we get by on a volunteer workforce thanks to the understanding and support of our volunteers’ employers and supervisors, which enables the success of the content. We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to them. We would also like to ask everyone for their continuing support and encouragement as we work to expand the scope of this initiative and further its contribution to the task of improving manual quality.
October 2008
2008 Japan Manual Award Executive Committee
Japan Technical Communicators Association
About the 2008 Japan Manual Contest
Manabu Kishi, President, Japan Technical Communicators Association
Thanks to the help of everyone involved, this year’s Manual Contest was a great success and produced even better results than expected. Thank you very much for your efforts.
This year’s contest featured a new screening framework and closely reflected the growing diversification and evolution of manuals into paper, web-based and embedded formats. At the same time, we keenly felt the weight of responsibility that comes with putting on this contest, particularly with regard to how to address this diversity, which evaluation criteria to use and how to ensure sympathy and understanding for the contest results. Looking ahead, we realize we must develop the contest itself and push it forward in lockstep with, or even ahead of, the development and evolution of manuals themselves.
It is easy to simply say that a contest is based on a new framework or concept, but there are many practical challenges involved in actually implementing them.
We look forward to hearing your opinions, criticisms and proposals.
An Outline of the 2008 Manual Contest
Masahiro Shimada, Executive Committee Chairman
This year's Manual Contest was once again a success and we are happy to be able to publish this report on it. I would like to express my thanks to everyone who entered and everyone who helped, as well as to again congratulate the award winners and other people involved.
The following provides a list of the primary measures that we instituted for this year's Manual Contest.
1) Restructuring of Paper Manuals Division
We restructured the Paper Manuals Division, which sees the most entries every year. We left two categories in place from last year: Operations Manuals (manuals covering all functions) and Usage Manuals (manuals just on certain functions). However, we eliminated entries by different product types, which had been in place in the Operations Manuals category, and put them all into a single category. Instead, we divided Operations Manuals into two readership-based categories: General Users and Commercial Users. The same was done for Usage Manuals. As a result, the Paper Manuals division was divided into a total of four categories, two each for Operations Manuals and Usage Manuals, and entries were requested on this basis. These changes did not result in any major change in the number of entries, so I think that the new structure was generally accepted without confusion.
2) Establishment of Embedded Manuals Division
We established the Web Manuals Division last year, and this year created another new division for embedded manuals. We only had three entries in this category, but we expect entries to improve both qualitatively and quantitatively in the years to come, given current industry trends.
With the establishment of the Embedded Manuals Division, there are now a total of five categories for entries based on medium: paper manuals, sheet manuals, electronic manuals, web manuals and embedded manuals. We would like to see manual producers submit manuals that sufficiently leverage the unique characteristics of each medium. For example, a PDF file that is simply converted from a paper manual and submitted does not constitute an electronic manual. We want manuals that would not be possible to produce without being in their specific medium. This is also how the manuals will be evaluated, as we have made whether or not the manual leverages the characteristics of its media a major element in its evaluation.
We expect that manual entries will continue to diversify in many regards, not just in terms of media, and it will be necessary to continue to revise the Manual Contest’s evaluation criteria in order to appropriately address this diversity. As members of the Manual Award Executive Committee, we intend to continue doing our best to ensure that winning an award from this contest serves as a motivating force for everyone. We look forward to your dynamic entries, robust encouragement and cooperation in the years to come.
Analysis of Results
Regarding Award Categories
Yuichiro Suzuki and Aya Matsumoto, Executive Committee Vice-Chairmen
This section looks at the characteristics of manuals that were submitted this year in each division.
Operations Manuals--General Users
This category covers operations manuals that explain all functions and are published on paper for general users (can be a part of a series). The five categories that were used up through last year, which included General Appliances, Information Appliances and Commercial/Industrial Devices, were consolidated into two categories, one for general users and one for commercial users. We were worried that consolidating the categories in this way would reduce the number of entries, but this division had 30 entries, or 37% of the total.
Two noticeable characteristics of the entries were a) better searchability through such innovations as “I want to do this” tables of contents, purpose-specific searching, and tables of contents linked to tabs, and b) greater emphasis on safety reminders through the use of labels as well as specific keywords like "fire" and "burn," with corresponding illustrations.
One Most Outstanding Manual award was given along with two Excellence Awards and seven Honorable Mentions. Although the average level of the entries was higher this year, no entry stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Operations Manuals--Commercial Users
This category is for manuals that target users involved in specialized fields of endeavor and covers operations manuals used in commercial environments.
Manuals for commercial users that targeted the beginner level and above received high ratings. In particular, this year saw new attempts with regard to page design, indicating the future direction of this type of manual.
Usage Manuals--General Users
This category covers usage manuals intended for general users, so entries were received from a wide range of fields.
This year, there were entries that featured binding innovations, like using paper matching the user's environment, and entries with high-quality, eye-catching designs that exhibited a playful spirit capable of capturing people's interest. The entry honored with an Excellence Award got high marks in particular for its innovative use of terminology and color to make the manual easy to understand and use for its targeted readership.
Usage Manual—Commercial Users
This category covers manuals for commercial users that only explain specific points, such as quick manuals and collections of usage examples.
There were entries this year that did not receive an award but did demonstrate solid improvement. The award-winning manual in this category was recognized for its success in doing away with excessive formality.
Sheet Manual/Package Manual Division
This division covers manuals printed on one sheet of paper (including folded paper) and manuals incorporated into packaging. Examples include quick guides, quick-start instructions and pocket guides. One entry took into account the location where the printer would be installed, while another manual integrated how the paper would be folded into its layout. This division provided some pleasantly surprising innovations.
Electronic Manuals Division
This division covers all manuals provided on electronic media regardless of targeted user or type of product. The division is roughly divided into help manuals and HTML-based manuals. However, almost all the help manual entries were HTML-based help manuals, so this division has effectively become a division for HTML manuals. Full-color graphics are easy to incorporate into electronic manuals, so the division was a battleground for colorful, exceptionally designed entries. The entry that received the Most Outstanding Manual (in Category) award distinguished itself with a table of contents that used animation.
Web Manual Division
This division started accepting entries last year, and compared to a year ago, there was a substantial increase in entries leveraging the features of the web—not just electronic manuals posted on the Internet. Only one entry received an award last year, but this year two Excellence Awards were given and one entry earned Honorable Mention. We hope that manual producers will take on the challenge of making web manuals that effectively and simultaneously use multiple modes of expression, are capable of being updated in a timely manner and can provide a broad array of information by linking to other sites.
Embedded Manual Division
This division was started as a formal division this year. An ideal manual provides an appropriate answer when the user has a problem. Embedded manuals are thought to have the potential to truly realize this ideal. The award-winning entry in this division featured an exceptional combination of context-sensitive explanations, which are displayed with the push of a button when a problem occurs while using the product, and a traditional electronic manual that allows the user to search through headings to find explanations. This year's award-winning entry received high grades for indicating a potential direction for embedded manuals in the future.
Planning Award
The Planning Award honors manuals that accurately realize the intentions of an original plan. This year the Planning Award was given to a paper manual for people with visual impairments who use text-to-speech software. The manual’s plan incorporated innovative ideas for encouraging people with visual impairments pick up the manual and read it. The manual’s design was not bound by conventional thinking and tried to incorporate the feelings of actual users with visual impairments. The manual was completed after much trial and error, but it turned out to be filled with devices for motivating users with visual impairments to take full advantage of the product.
First Screening
Screening Methods
Paper Manual Division
Screening made use of the Paper Manual Evaluation Procedures/Checklist (first edition, April 2008) created by the Manual Award Executive Committee based on the basic evaluation model presented in Report on Screening Criteria for Outstanding Manuals published in 1995 by the Japan Technical Communicators Association.
Sheet Manuals/Package Manuals Division
Entries were screened using the Sheet Manual/Package Manual Evaluation Procedures/Checklist (first edition, April 2008) created by the Manual Award Executive Committee based on the Manual Evaluation Procedures.
Electronic Manual Division
Screening was conducted using the Electronic Manual Evaluation Procedures/Checklist (first edition, March 2008) created by the Manual Award Executive Committee based on the Survey on Appropriate Standardization of Electronic Manual Evaluation Guidelines compiled in March 1999 by the Japan Technical Communicators Association.
Web Manual Division
Judges selected by the 2008 Manual Award Executive Committee screened entries using the Web Manual Evaluation Checklist compiled in April 2007 by the Japan Technical Communicators Association. There was no second screening for web manuals as the final round of screening was conducted immediately after the first round.
Embedded Manuals Division
Screening was conducted by judges selected by the 2008 Manual Award Executive Committee using the Embedded Manual Evaluation Checklist compiled in April 2008 by the Japan Technical Communicators Association. There was no second screening for embedded manuals as the final round of screening was conducted immediately after the first round.
Seminars
Two seminars were held this year, one in Tokyo and one in Osaka, for people participating as judges in the 2008 Japan Manual Contest. The aim of the seminars was to bring consistency to the evaluation process by explaining the basic thinking behind the evaluation procedures used by the contest.
Target
The seminars were for people serving as judges for the first time and were also open to anyone wishing to attend.
Seminar Content
The seminar featured a concrete explanation of user requirements and technical evaluation categories using the revised Manual Evaluation Procedures and award-winning entries from previous years to show good examples and areas in need of improvement. The understanding of participants was also facilitated through active question-and-answer sessions.
Questionnaire
All participants filled out a questionnaire, and we received many valuable opinions that will be used to make improvements next year.
Instructor
Naoki Tokuda (Passage Co., Ltd.)
Participants
83 people participated in the seminars, 59 in Tokyo and 24 in Osaka.
Award-Winning Manuals
Manual of the Year
Most Outstanding Manual (in Category)
Embedded Manual Division
Victor LCD Television EXE Manual “O-Tasuke-Guide” (Help Guide)
Victor Company of Japan, Limited
Comments from a Final Round Judge
As was the case last year, this year's Manual of the Year distinction was given to an electronic manual for an audio/video product. This year marked the first time that a manual embedded in a product took the top prize. In simple terms, this development reflects the current shift taking place from paper to electronic media, which is happening against a backdrop of increasingly multi-functional and complex audio/video devices and their use as single audio/video systems through networking multiple products. However, this manual received the award for quite different reasons: It successfully fulfills the essential roles and functions of a manual, irrespective of current trends and increasing product functionality.
The first reason that this manual was chosen was that it fulfilled its planned objective of helping users master the product. The judges felt that the manual’s structure, expressions and method of use all encouraged users to use, to master, to do and to know, as reflected in the manual’s title, Help Guide. The manual was divided into the following three sections: 1) an introduction for users new to digital televisions, 2) an explanation of operations that fully took into account the fact that the instructions would be read on a TV screen, and 3) a search feature with headings selected from the user's perspective. The judges felt that the manual made it relatively easy for users to do what they wanted to do with the product (at least compared to a bulky paper manual), whether that was to use a feature because it seemed convenient or check out all the functions available. The manual received high marks for utilizing the characteristics of embedded manuals and for the smooth transitions from manual screens to screens where features could actually be used.
The second reason this manual was awarded the top prize was the consideration it gave to the user. For example, different options were given for the color palette used on manual screens out of consideration for colorblind users. And, as mentioned above with regard to the search feature, the keywords used for searching were selected and categorized based on words used and situations encountered by users. Moreover, real-time messages indicating the connection status of cables are displayed as a part of the manual, providing potentially valuable information to beginning users. I'm repeating myself here, but the manual did not primarily win the prize due to its uniqueness as an embedded manual. In past contests, we felt that simply incorporating features unique to the electronic medium—adding voice, adding video, adding a search function, etc.—did not necessarily make a manual easy to use or attractive. It may be obvious, but what is most important is connecting the functions and features of electronic media to traditional manual aims like ease-of-use, readability and mastery in a way that adequately considers the user.
Comments from the Award Winner
Victory Company of Japan, Limited
We are overjoyed at this wholly unexpected honor of being awarded Most Outstanding Manual in the Embedded Manuals Division and the overall Manual of the Year award.
We started developing the Help Guide out of a desire to help customers master all the functions of our digital televisions. The development of this manual proceeded in a very different way than a regular paper manual. Our manuals had always been produced directly by the department in charge, but this manual could not have been completed without coordinating with other departments.
The manual’s production floor underwent a transformation. There was a great deal of struggle and many rounds of trial and error during its production, but thanks to the efforts of the people at our partner company, we were able to make this new manual format a success. We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation. We plan to include embedded manuals in a multitude of products, and as this format becomes more commonplace we will continue to innovate for the sake of the format’s further evolution.
Most Outstanding Manual (in Category)
Operations Manuals—General Users
User’s Manual for the Udea Gas Cook Top with Grill
Rinnai Corporation
This manual’s cover and table of contents page used a subdued color palette and appropriate text layout that encouraged readers to continue reading. It included a page on the product’s safety sensor mechanism before the standard safety reminders, which created the positive impression of a safety-conscious product. In terms of searchability, the table of contents physically corresponded with the positioning of tabs, making it easy to jump to the information you are looking for. The main body of the manual uses actual pictures of the model along with technical illustrations, both of which are attractive and unintimidating. The text hardly uses any technical terminology and would be easy for anyone to follow. Individual page designs are brilliant on their own, though the overall design lacks consistency, and this is one area that should be considered for improvement.
Comments from the Award Winner
Rinnai Corporation
We are honored and somewhat in disbelief about our very first entry having been so well received by the association and the contest’s judges that it was awarded the Most Outstanding Manual distinction in the Operations Manuals-General Users category. We are overjoyed by this honor, which was the result of assistance and encouragement from many people, from the planning stage through to the manual’s completion.
The reason why we entered the contest this year was that our manuals have gotten mixed reviews and it has been unclear whether they have been achieving their planned objectives. We therefore have been unsure about a direction to take going forward. We decided to enter the contest to receive an objective evaluation from a public institution, incorporate the suggestions into future manuals and use the feedback to help define a direction to proceed.
We're extremely delighted that the judges thought highly of the fact that "the manual was produced based on a plan that closely incorporated the basic Universal Design stance of usability, readability and ease of understanding." We will not rest on our laurels, but rather will continue to create manuals that provide information customers truly want in a manner that is easy to understand, unintimidating and encouraging to the reader.
Electronic Manuals Division
Manual Viewed on the Screen of the Laser Printer HL-2140/HL-2170-W
Brother Industries, Ltd.
Overall, this is a high quality manual that is full of detailed user considerations. The manual is easier to use than most manuals, starting with a top page that draws the reader in with "Frequently asked questions” and "Is this an error?" headings. In addition, the visual table of contents makes it easy to find what you're looking for and the product illustrations below the table of contents feature conscientious, highly effective innovations, like information on ordering and changing consumables. Moreover, the manual has a sitemap so its structure can be viewed all at once, making it easy to understand. On the other hand, there is a lot of information on the top page and after moving from the text to the terminology/index it is impossible to return to the text. So, there is room to make improvements to further raise the overall level of this manual.
Comments from the Award Winner
Brother Industries, Ltd.
Thank you very much for selecting our manual for the Most Outstanding Manual award in its category. Brother has been providing voluminous user guides and network setting guides as PDF files instead of as printed booklets in order to reduce our environmental impact. However, a PDF-based manual is limited in terms of its readability and usability, so now we also produce HTML-based manuals.
For this manual, we used a graphical table of contents that featured illustrations and video in order to leverage the searchability and design qualities of HTML manuals. We put a FAQ (Q&A) on the top page to allow customers to navigate to exactly the information they want. In this way we paid particular attention to content, design and viewability. We are delighted that these experiments were rated so highly.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the invaluable assistance of everyone at our partner companies and related in-house departments.
We intend to continue working to create even better manuals in the spirit of our slogan, “At your side,” which means putting the customer first, one of Brother’s guiding principles.
Special Awards
Planning Award
Document Reader Manual Voice Voice Voice
Fuji Xerox Engineering Co., Ltd.
The planned objective was to make a paper manual that would be fun, pleasant and truly usable for people with visual impairments. Various devices were used to actualize this objective. Explanations on how to use the product without a mouse, clear divisions between user and supporter tasks, a highly viewable color palette and contrast, easy-to-read text (including fonts, font sizes, letter intervals and line intervals), supplementary explanations that encourage the user and reduce anxiety, information on how to start over and other methods for addressing commonly encountered problems, conscientious, detailed Q&A—the manual is loaded with detailed considerations, suggesting that the manual producers engaged in dialogue with users and sincerely wanted to create a manual they could use. Compared with electronic and web-based manuals, the accessibility and universal design qualities of paper manuals have not made much progress, but this manual is a splendid achievement, despite it being the production team’s first attempt, thanks to having narrowed its target to a specific set of users.
Comments from the Award Winner
Fuji Xerox Engineering Co., Ltd.
Think for a minute, everyone. Do you think people who cannot see borrow books from the library? Do you think they enjoy movies? Do you think they go to the zoo or aquarium? How about the art museum? The answer is yes, they do all these things.
When I was first assigned to this project, I was not able to answer even one of these questions. But for this manual we enlisted the help of people with visual impairments and poor eyesight, had them actually use the product, talked with them on the phone, corresponded via e-mail, and met with them directly to listen to what they had to say, and during the course of this I realized that they were no different than me.
Voice Voice Voice is a fine manual that was produced together with their help after much constructive criticism, including such comments as, "I have no idea what this is trying to say," and "This explanation is way too long; I can't get through it." The manual is topped off with a cover that we hoped would draw rave reviews from the user’s friends and acquaintances.
If you have the chance, we invite you to look at the manual for yourself. Thank you for this wonderful award.
Jury Award
“Anyone Could Use It” Award
Manual for the Shimadzu TX/TXB Series of Electronic Scales
Shimadzu Corporation
Electronic scales are not too familiar for a lot of people, but for those of us who studied physics or chemistry in college, they are quite familiar as an extremely expensive product that had to be used in their own special room to measure things. Electronic scales are now more precise and inexpensive than they once were, and most people involved in science or engineering have used one at least once. Even though electronic scales are a commercial product, I came away with the sense that they are used by fairly general users due to how well the manual was written. First of all, as indicated in the product overview, I liked how the product’s design was changed to make it easier to operate while keeping the same functions. No matter how much effort is put into a manual, if the operations are complicated, the manual is also bound to be complicated. The manual embodies my belief that product design is important. Looking at the cover, the index items are not only for sections but also for individual chapters, which makes them easy to turn to. Indexing on each page is also designed to allow the reader to confidently open to that page. Safety reminders are also included in the main body as cautions when installing and using the product, indicating that the safety reminders were not included as a mere formality. Tips for reading the manual are displayed on a sample page, and the next page includes a section on things that can be done with the product. These sorts of features fulfill the requirements of manuals meant for general users. In addition, a menu map is included on a sheet that is not part of the main text. If you have the sheet, you’ll normally be able to know where you currently are. The only thing that makes it feel like a commercial manual is the monochromatic black and gray-tone palette. However, five color gradations are strategically used, so I didn’t really notice that it was monochromatic until after I was finished reading it. Actually, a color version (black and blue tones) is available on the web (http://www.shimadzu.co.jp/balance/), so I encourage you to check out this version.
Comments from the Award Winner
Shimadzu Corporation
We would like to express our appreciation for being honored with the Jury Award: “Anyone Could Use It” Award and an Excellence Award for our category.
We updated the manual when the product was upgraded, and in order to generate interest in it we tried to create an easy-to-understand manual that people would want to pick up and read.
The manual was produced by the hard work of one person over the course of five months at Shimadzu Engineering. We constantly thought about whether the customer would be able to proceed through the manual without becoming confused. The text was rewritten over and over while simultaneously operating the product. It was a difficult task, but winning this award means that our hard work paid off.
We would like to express our appreciation for everyone involved in production and everyone who provided advice and instruction. We plan to make further improvements based on feedback from customers.
Excellence Awards (in Category)
Operations Manuals—General Users
Omron Weight & Body Composition Meter - Karada Scan (Body Scan) HBF-904
Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
This straightforward manual takes into account the needs of first-time users so as to eliminate confusion.
The measurement illustrations make it easy to visualize appropriate postures and how to hold the product, and the clean, large explanatory text creates an encouraging atmosphere for the reader. Both of these points were rated highly.
There were some areas that could have been explained better or could have been expressed better with illustrations, but considering the fact that the product is meant to appeal to a wide range of age groups, the manual was well-balanced in terms of both design and content.
Document Reader Manual - Voice Voice Voice
Fuji Xerox Engineering Co., Ltd.
This manual fully reflects its planned objective, which was to make a manual that would be pleasant to read for people with visual impairments working in office environments and for people who provide support for them. The manual is filled with conscientious considerations and warm expressions that convey the producer’s intentions. The manual features a novel cover design that bucks traditional manual conventions and a color palette, contrast and font sizes that are conscious of the needs of people with visual impairments, so the overall composition of this manual gives users a sense of excitement. The overall layout is easy to follow and explanations are divided into those for people who will actually operate the product and those for people who will provide support.
Operations Manuals—Commercial Users
“Starting from Nothing” JP1 Software Mastery Kit Basic Operations Manual
Hitachi, Ltd.
Although orthodox, this manual should be emulated by other companies thanks to its appropriate use of whitespace, good use of color, and inviting introductory pages.
The screen captures are especially clear and individual operations are surrounded by red borders, making them highly conspicuous. The manual also makes exceptional choices for colors, layout and writing in the "Let's try it" and "I have a problem" sections.
It would have been nice to see the table of contents and tab headings linked together with color to make them easier to follow.
Manual for the Shimadzu TX/TXB Series of Electronic Scales
Shimadzu Corporation
This manual was rated highly for its easy-to-understand content and searchability. Its straightforward content is complemented by precise writing and clever design, producing wonderful synergies. The "How to find what you're looking for" section (pages 4 and 5) is a creative innovation that earned high marks.
Criticisms were that the monochromatic palette rendered the shading on the top part of the page ineffective and the gray lettering with subtle references is not clear at first glance and needs to be distinguished. But overall the manual was judged to be of very high quality and was awarded an Excellence Award.
Usage Manuals—General Users
Just Smile 3 [For Learning at Home] Let’s Make It!
JustSystems Corporation
Although this is a learning manual for children, it is loaded with information to help parents follow along. With this manual, parents and children can have fun creating artwork together. Illustrations scattered throughout help the manual give a fun feel. In addition, all artwork examples are included on the cover, making it easy to see what the entire manual is about. The main body features many pictures, making operations intuitive. The targeted age group for each piece of artwork is listed, illustrations are colored in when an exercise is completed and other creative devices give children a sense of achievement.
FOMA® F801i Basic Operations Guide
Fujitsu Limited
Attractive illustrations and color arrangements, easy-to-follow sample screens, inclusion of kanji readings and other features make this manual for children a success. There is a basic color for each chapter, making it extremely easy to know where you are currently reading. In addition, explanations are given in straightforward language and some kanji compounds are presented phonetically to make the explanations readily accessible to children. One can visualize children using their cell phones while reading this manual.
Usage Manuals—Commercial Users
LBP5050/5050N Basic Operations Guide
Canon Inc.
This manual succeeds in puncturing the stereotype of printer manuals as overly formal. Screen illustrations and product illustrations for all procedures are used throughout the manual to aid comprehension. Leader lines in diagrams are designed to make it clear which areas they are pointing out, and the corresponding explanations are easy to understand. In terms of searchability, there is an "Goal-Specific Information Index" page intended to allow users to immediately find what they're looking for, and it fulfills its intended purpose. There are also navigation prompts scattered throughout the manual that are linked to the enclosed HTML manual, which is a beneficial feature.
Sheet Manuals/Package Manuals
Digital Camera Basic Operations Guide
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
This manual makes sure the text does not overlap with the page folds, and when the page is spread out the text and illustrations are appropriately laid out, making the manual easy to read. The color orange is used effectively and operation areas are clearly displayed, producing an easy-to-follow manual even for beginners. The manual limits itself to the functions needed for use of the product’s main features, and each item is presented in a brief, easy-to-understand manner, so there is just enough information to be able to read the manual and immediately use the product. This manual successfully takes into account the feelings of users who want to use the product right away.
Web Manuals
Nikon D60 Digitutor
Nikon Corporation
This web manual features a conscientious design that takes into account the needs of first-time users of digital single-lens reflex cameras. The manual does not simply explain the product’s functions, but rather presents the process of taking a picture in narrative form, and this is effectively linked to use of the camera's functions. Menu positioning is innovative and the screen composition is good. Animated displays feature flags for each item, which help the manual be user-friendly in design.
This manual was also given high marks for maintaining a stress-free response time.
Shooting Tips for XDCAMEX
Sony Corporation
This manual uses video to show how recorded video changes when the video camera’s various settings are changed, which concretely shows the effects of the settings. It succeeds in conveying information that is exceedingly difficult to convey via paper media. Techniques used by actual professionals are introduced as tips, and helpful topics are selected as real examples of framing scenes.
This manual’s design is sophisticated and easy to read. Even though it is a commercial manual, it also works as a manual for beginners, which leaves a favorable impression.
Honorable Mention (in Category)
Operations Manuals—General Users
UX-D28CL/UX-D28CW User’s Manual
Sharp Corporation
This manual makes extensive use of illustrations and is designed out of consideration not only for beginners but also for elderly users. In the section "Using the product safely and correctly" examples of how not to use the product are shown with illustrations, which is effective in communicating this information to users.
Nikon Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera D3 User’s Manual
Nikon Corporation
The manual faithfully reflects the concept of this high performance product. It skillfully combines classic line-drawn illustrations, solid writing and a simple goal-specific search feature that is helpful when searching for information.
Noritz Bathroom Heater/Dryer Operations Manual
Noritz Corporation
This manual makes effective use of an appealing animated character, which overall gives the manual a casual feel and helps improve its readability. In addition, device movements included in each instruction serve as an effective tool for straightforwardly conveying the flow and results of operations.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities “Let’s Start Internet Trading!”
Mitsubishi Electric Documentex Ltd.
This manual is subdivided by color into 11 categories, allowing the user to conveniently choose only the manuals that are necessary to achieve the user’s desired objectives. The flow-formatted table of contents and a screen-for-each-step approach to instructions provides a sense of ease to elderly users and people not readily familiar with computers.
Start Guide 2 Setup Edition
Fujitsu Limited
Target setup times are listed on the first page, which eliminates psychological stress on the user by enabling the user to mentally prepare before beginning. Procedures flow from left to right, and on the far right are pointers linked to the operation, which give the manual clarity.
Epson PM-A840 Operations Guide
Seiko Epson Corporation
Overall, there is one section for each procedure and the text is short, making it easy to read and understand. The instructions on two-page spreads were judged to be close to perfect. However, color usage conveyed a different impression than was intended, so additional innovation is needed.
HD Video Camera iVISHF10/iVISHF100 User’s Manual
Canon Inc.
The manual features a design, illustrations and color palette that are conscious of the product’s family orientation, so the manual makes you want to pick it up and read it. The safety and handling reminders were easy to understand thanks to effective illustrations that gave this topic a lighter touch than normal.
Operations Manuals—Commercial Users
Omron Activity Meter – Active Style Pro HJA-350IT Operations Manual
Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
Carefully chosen topics, large fonts and appropriate use of space make the manual easy to read. There is a thoughtful glossary, instructions include everyday usage examples, and illustrations are used effectively and easy to comprehend. The size and volume are compact in a positive way.
Usage Manuals—General Users
Introductory Book
Canon Inc.
This manual features accessible illustrations, design and color usage. Things that can be done with printers are introduced like recipes, and photos make end-products easy to grasp. In addition, the recipes themselves are appealing thanks to use of material that has the target user firmly in mind.
Mazda MPV Quick Guide
Mazda Ace Co., Ltd.
This handy usage manual consolidates instructions for select features. In spite of only including the minimally required information, this manual gets high marks for its organization and searchability. It features durable, easy-to-open binding and string that feel like the user is taken into account.
ApeosPort and DocuCentre “Print no Hoshi” (Print Star)
Fuji Xerox Engineering Co., Ltd.
This manual gives you a feel for the development team’s passion for the product and their desire to convey its exceptional features. Not bound by conventional thinking, it uses various thoughtful devices to enhance readability. It is the type of manual that becomes the consumer’s best friend.
Sheet Manuals/Package Manuals
LBP5050/5050N Basic Installation Guide
Canon Inc.
This manual uses easy-to-comprehend illustrations for each procedure and an intuitive layout. Important information is effectively highlighted with short captions and the user is led through the installation process in a surefooted manner.
Electronic Manuals
Virus Buster 2008 Help
Trend Micro Inc.
A table of contents page specialized for each screen is displayed when a product screen is opened, which helps the user arrive at the subject he wants to know about. There are links to websites including FAQs and support information, which also functions effectively.
Libinity Appliance “Kantan Filing” (Quick Filing) Basic Operations Manual
Hitachi Technical Communications Co., Ltd.
This manual employs creative ways to overcome its lack of narration. Appropriate colors, a simple design and large fonts make the manual easy to read, and the use of animation makes it easy to follow. The manual’s concrete explanations even cover the results of operations.
Web Manuals
Blue-ray Disc Recorder First Step Guide
Sony Corporation
Connection diagrams for each device can be easily drawn step by step. The Q&A for the connection diagrams features questions that are preselected based on the devices that are designated at first. There are print buttons on connection diagrams and Q&A, so printing them out is easy.
Executive Committee Awards
Encouragement Award
System Kitchen
Cuisia Series Manual
There were multiple entries for the Planning Award, and this manual was selected for an Encouragement Award because the judges recognized its commitment to being appealing and easy to follow. Several problems were pointed out in connection with technical production issues, so improvement is expected in future versions.
Comments from Final Round Judges
Masako Ariyama (Director of Nippon Association of Consumer Specialists)
At this year's contest, non-paper manuals accounted for one quarter of the prizes awarded, as a total of seven distinctions were given to embedded manuals, electronic manuals and web manuals. Of these, two were presented with Most Outstanding Manual awards, and Victor’s embedded manual for its LCD televisions, a particularly interactive manual, was honored with the Manual of the Year distinction. For conventional manuals, I gave high marks to those that were simple, visually appealing and well organized, including Rinnai’s manual for its gas cooking range. Society has been changing significantly in recent years, including safety laws, notification programs for accident information and inspection regimes for home appliances used over long periods of time. I participated in the screening process this year interested in seeing the ways in which manuals have been changing. In the past, information on safety was displayed with conventional “warning,” “prohibited” and “caution” marks, but creative innovation was lacking. Among this year's entries, there were three manuals that got creative with safety indications. In particular, Canon's video camera manual, which was designed with its targeted consumer segment in mind, people in their thirties, featured straightforward labels like “electrocution,” “injury,” “burn,” “fire” and “traffic accident” along with the traditional safety marks. The manual included words with negative connotations that perhaps the manufacturer would rather not have included but these safety considerations I felt constituted something new and innovating, which raised my expectations for future creative devices in this area.
Kenichi Ito (Senior Manager, General Affairs Group, Japan Consumer’s Association)
These are my impressions from participating in the screening process for the first time. These days, electronic manuals and other new media do not feel so new anymore. New media has clear advantages and disadvantages depending on the user segment, and it is important to effectively use different media depending on the nature of the product or service. In particular, it should be noted that electronic media often lack flexibility in that it is sometimes impossible to go where you want without following specific procedures.
I'm of the opinion that manuals are accessories to products and services; they do not have independent existence in and of themselves. If a manual conveys the information that is absolutely necessary and makes it possible to quickly reference that information when it is needed, then it does not particularly matter if the manual itself is an interesting read. Carefully selecting which points to convey is particularly important for general consumers. However, considering the general lack of basic knowledge due to fewer people studying the sciences, I would like to see product manuals introduce necessary basic knowledge beyond just how to use the product. The volume of manuals may increase, but given the present circumstances, this is one consideration I would hope to be realized.
Michi Ishikawa
(Director, Seikatsu Kobo, Setagaya Arts Foundation
Instructor, School of Information-Oriented Management, SANNO University)
This year's Manual Contest saw a record high number of entries. There were several manuals that grabbed Honorable Mention or Excellence Awards after having been entered last year and then revised based on feedback from the judges and reentered this year. I do not think there was a manual that really stood head and shoulders above the rest this year. The TV-embedded manual that took the Manual of the Year honor was highly interactive, with features such as the ability to move from the guide to the actual screen, and while there is still much room for progress, I see this manual as the result of taking on new challenges.
In the paper manual division, a number of manuals incorporated ways to improve searchability in line with user needs, like "I want to know this" table of contents and goal-specific indexes. These features are starting to become established as new trends.
Manuals for commercial users put up a good fight that is worth mentioning. All the entries aimed to be easy to understand and engaging, but at the same time they tended to be a little spec heavy. Since such manuals are intended to help people understand products that are used on the job, the information must be presented in a way that makes it possible to understand and use the product correctly in a short period of time at work. For this reason I think it may be necessary to further analyze the actual needs of users in this regard.
Masayasu Watai
(Professor, Faculty of Human Life, Jumonji University)
I reviewed a total of 28 manuals for this year's Manual Contest. They were the manuals that won the Most Outstanding Manual awards, Excellence Awards and Honorable Mention distinctions in this year’s new set of categories based on second screening results. Based on my personal impressions, as well as conversations with the other screening committee members, I strongly felt that manuals that won the three different awards clearly differed in quality. This is directly attributable to the ability of the second round judges.
Due to the differing categories and corresponding products, it is probably impossible to provide a simple synopsis, but the following represents my impressions of each award level. Manuals receiving Honorable Mention distinctions left me with the impression that they were more or less average. I got the impression that they were carefully created within each company’s (presumably) standardized style and organization. Unfortunately, standardizing ease of understanding is not all there is; I get the sense that these manuals continue to inherit the same practices and areas in need of improvement. With regard to manuals receiving Excellence Awards, my impression was that creative innovations and planning translated directly into ease of understanding and readability. The willingness of manual producers to take on new challenges showed through in the manuals themselves, and I got the sense that this spirit was also directly conveyed to readers. I felt that manuals that won the Most Outstanding Manual award engendered in the reader and user both a sense of ease and a sense of excitement. A manual that is easy to use and easy to read gives the reader a sense of security, and it gives rise to a sense of excitement about reading the actual manual and reading the manual and using the product. Most Outstanding Manual winners had this quality.
With manual production becoming more standardized and regulated and with improvements being made via the PDCA cycle, this kind of impressionistic assessment may be somewhat behind the times. However, I offer these comments for this year’s contest to make you aware of the perspective of manuals that are must-reads for users.
Ichie Watanabe (Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Seikei University)
I participated in the Manual Contest again this year as a final round judge and I learned a great deal. I choose keywords every year, and this year's keywords were continuity and development. Continuity is a keyword for paper manual initiatives, and development, for digitized manual initiatives.
Continuity may seem simple, but it is actually quite difficult. Actually, this year's paper manual divisions were substantially revised from the previous year. Last year, we had six categories for operations manuals and one category for usage manuals. These divisions were reorganized into a total of four categories: operations manuals for general users and commercial users, and usage manuals for general users and commercial users. This had an impact on the judging process as well. For example, software manuals and home appliance manuals were pitted against each other in the same ring. Having said this though, the scoring system we have developed over the years for assessing the manuals remained the same, so we were able to maintain continuity in the screening process. The final round of screening was based on first-round and second-round screening results. The quality of paper manuals reached almost the same level and many of the entries reflected the hard work put in by the companies involved. Manuals for children, manuals for people with visual impairments and other manuals for specific user groups caught my attention in particular. In the past we had some manuals for senior citizens that were created in cooperation with them, and I was very impressed, but in the coming years I expect to see more manuals based on the type of plan we saw this year.
In the area of digital manuals on the other hand, a new category for embedded manuals was created to go along with electronic manuals and web manuals. This was one development this year. Embedded manuals are manuals that can be operated directly on the screen of the device without going through a computer, and this year's Manual of the Year went to a remote control operated manual for LCD televisions. The manuals that occupied the upper ranks of these divisions were characterized by the fact that they were not simply paper manuals digitized and put on the screen. This is because we looked at how manuals in this category took advantage of and gave form to features not possessed by paper media. For example, a lot of office equipment employs a method in which the user is guided through operations even though the screen is small, so if this approach were to be developed further I think it would result in an excellent embedded manual. I think that when the product is a device that people use, it needs to have a built-in function that guides them in using it. I think it is possible to design manuals so that the user does not have to read the manual using a computer. I expect new development in this area next year.