Wordless manuals

[Alexander Von_obert <avobert -at- TWH -dot- MSN -dot- SUB -dot- ORG>]

Hello Mary,


* Antwort auf eine Nachricht von thunder -at- IDIR -dot- NET an All am 26.06.97

tt> Does anyone have suggestions about developing wordless manuals?

tt> The product will have an international market,
tt> and it would be very cost-effective, not to say elegant, if we
tt> could do something that didn't need to be translated.

I am sorry to put pater into your wine, but I know of several projects
 Mercedes-Benz of Germany had years ago for their trucks:

- It is extremely difficult to develop wordless manuals. You have to
  put in lots of work and need a very good graphics artist.

- You cannot hope to do one manual for all markets despite you need
  not translate a word. There are BIG cultural differences to be
  considered.

A few examples:

- What you see as funny Halloween symbols might be considered
  a warning about a deadly danger (crossed bones = poison).

- Look at a video recorder for the Japanese market. You know the symbols:
  << > >> as reverse, play, fast forward. The Japanese model
  is quite different: >> < <<

- In many countries you must not use a risen digit as a warning or so.

- There are people much to proud to accept any directives. You must
  offer everything as an advice - perhaps by an old man.

Aa far as I know Mercedes-Benz left that idea.


Greetings from Germany,
Alexander

--
Alexander von Obert, Urbanstr. 2, 90480 Nuernberg, Germany
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