Click here to Skip to main content
15,867,686 members

Survey Results

Do you expect users to read the instructions when using your apps?

Survey period: 15 Aug 2022 to 22 Aug 2022

OptionVotes% 
Yes. If they don't read the docs they will have no chance of using the software92.11
Yes, because they know our docs will help them be more productive102.34
Yes, eventually, when they get stuck trying to do something tricky8319.44
Probably, at least when first starting4911.48
Probably not13732.08
No. I never believe anyone actually reads our docs9923.19
No, because we don't provide docs. Our software is intuitive enough235.39
I don't write user-facing code173.98



 
GeneralManuals are useless Pin
Behzad Sedighzadeh19-Aug-22 17:48
Behzad Sedighzadeh19-Aug-22 17:48 
Generalnot all documentation is instructions, or something Pin
maze317-Aug-22 2:53
professionalmaze317-Aug-22 2:53 
GeneralMissing choice: "other" Pin
Graeme_Grant16-Aug-22 16:57
mvaGraeme_Grant16-Aug-22 16:57 
GeneralRe: Missing choice: "other" Pin
trønderen17-Aug-22 6:06
trønderen17-Aug-22 6:06 
GeneralRe: Missing choice: "other" Pin
PIEBALDconsult17-Aug-22 17:28
mvePIEBALDconsult17-Aug-22 17:28 
GeneralSuperior Documentation Pin
Matt Bond16-Aug-22 11:15
Matt Bond16-Aug-22 11:15 
GeneralMy boss wants me to write documentation... Pin
PIEBALDconsult16-Aug-22 8:54
mvePIEBALDconsult16-Aug-22 8:54 
GeneralI can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
Gary Wheeler16-Aug-22 3:22
Gary Wheeler16-Aug-22 3:22 
GeneralRe: I can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
Member 1344462716-Aug-22 21:41
Member 1344462716-Aug-22 21:41 
GeneralRe: I can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
Gary Wheeler17-Aug-22 1:50
Gary Wheeler17-Aug-22 1:50 
GeneralRe: I can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
trønderen17-Aug-22 6:36
trønderen17-Aug-22 6:36 
GeneralRe: I can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
Sander Rossel22-Sep-22 21:31
professionalSander Rossel22-Sep-22 21:31 
GeneralRe: I can't even get them to read the bloody error messages Pin
Gary Wheeler23-Sep-22 1:26
Gary Wheeler23-Sep-22 1:26 
GeneralProvide user Training Pin
Jacquers15-Aug-22 20:53
Jacquers15-Aug-22 20:53 
GeneralPrinted 3x Pin
Gaston Verelst15-Aug-22 20:19
Gaston Verelst15-Aug-22 20:19 
GeneralMissing choice: "What instructions?" Pin
Marc Clifton15-Aug-22 2:51
mvaMarc Clifton15-Aug-22 2:51 
GeneralTL;DR Pin
Ron Anders15-Aug-22 1:55
Ron Anders15-Aug-22 1:55 
GeneralDoc Never Read Pin
SpearFL15-Aug-22 1:19
SpearFL15-Aug-22 1:19 
GeneralI used to ... Pin
Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter15-Aug-22 0:25
professionalKornfeld Eliyahu Peter15-Aug-22 0:25 
GeneralTried it once... Pin
Sander Rossel14-Aug-22 21:55
professionalSander Rossel14-Aug-22 21:55 
GeneralRe: Tried it once... Pin
trønderen15-Aug-22 12:09
trønderen15-Aug-22 12:09 
Many years ago ... when a thick handbook followed the software, no matter matter what kind of software, I was working in an office landscape where I could easily hear conversations on neighbor desks. Next to me sat this guy on Fortran support, and one day when his phone rang, I overheard his conversation - his side of it only:

Yes ... Hmm ... Yes ... Say, have you got the Fortran manual handy? ... Could you open it on page 142? ... Could you read out to me the first paragraph on that page? ... ... Oh, that's nothing, that's what support is for! Have a good day!

The fun thing is that this support guy never picked up his own copy of the Fortran manual to check the page number or paragraph text. Yet he was able to make the day for at least one customer.

But then: I am so old that looking for some printed documentation lies in my blood. But then: Sometimes when I find 'documentation', it is so horribly bad that I can't make heads or tails out of it. I have to throw it away and search for hints and tips from other users on the Internet. So I can, sort of, understand those users having given up printed documentation altogether. A lot of it deserves to be thrown away (whether printed on paper, provided as 'help pages' on the Internet, or as builtin help in the application).
GeneralRe: Tried it once... Pin
Sander Rossel15-Aug-22 21:12
professionalSander Rossel15-Aug-22 21:12 
GeneralRe: Tried it once... Pin
Memtha21-Sep-22 14:55
Memtha21-Sep-22 14:55 
GeneralWhen you get a "Help!" request, you know. You know. Pin
OriginalGriff14-Aug-22 19:06
mveOriginalGriff14-Aug-22 19:06 
GeneralRe: When you get a "Help!" request, you know. You know. Pin
Fueled By Decaff14-Aug-22 23:31
Fueled By Decaff14-Aug-22 23:31 

General General    News News    Suggestion Suggestion    Question Question    Bug Bug    Answer Answer    Joke Joke    Praise Praise    Rant Rant    Admin Admin   

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.