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Manual Assessment Memo

MEMORANDUM
TO: MR. Mark Hampton, CEO
FROM: Steven Grevera
SUBJECT: Recommendations for the Product Manual Char-broil – PERFORMANCE 4-Burner Gas Grill
DATE: February 12, 2025

I evaluated the Charbroil PERFORMANCE 4-Burner Gas Grill manual available at: Char-Broil 463365021 4-Burner Gas Grill User Guide.

This manual’s strengths are that it has instructions in multiple languages so anyone can pick it up and use it. Each topic has a major heading to orient the reader where they are. There is a hardware list of all parts and the number of each that should be part of the assembly package. The user can verify that all the parts are available before putting the grill together. Another strength is that each of the topics discussed includes pictures and a zoomed-in picture of the item that is being discussed. The instructions for assembly use numbers to help the reader know what step in the assembly process they are on. The Caution, Warning, and Danger notifications are found at the beginning of the manual to be sure the reader sees them.

Despite the strengths, several weaknesses should be addressed. One notable weakness was that some of the pictures used in the manual did not show the detail close enough to be able to perform the step correctly on the first try. Some of the instructions were confusing and could be reworked for the sake of clarity about what the picture was pointing to. Some of the larger parts were missing the part letter sticker on them. This could cause time loss because the assembler has to figure out the correct part to use in the step. The font used sometimes makes it difficult to read the text, and there are times when shading is used, making it more difficult to read the text easily.

To improve the manual, I recommend the following modifications:

• Ensure that the listed instructions are in the correct order.
• Improve the zoomed pictures to ensure the exact meaning of the picture is apparent.
• Enlarge pictures overall.
• Include additional words for more complicated steps, as pictures may not be enough context for the assembler to complete the step.
• Ensure the larger parts have the correct letters on them.
• Make the Warning and Caution symbols larger to ensure they catch the reader’s eye.
• Make use of colors to draw attention to certain important topics.
• Include the entire manual and steps to assemble together rather than breaking it up into sections by language.
• Choose a different font for the grilling guide section to improve readability.
• Also, in the grilling section, change or remove completely the grey background to make the text easier to read.

AI Statement: Grammarly was used to spellcheck the writing of this assignment.