Meeting people where they are.
WHAT TO ASSUME
Nothing about their knowledge.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH EARLY
Their comfort level, without condescension.
HOW
Ask what they have tried, and listen to the vocabulary they use.
WHAT TO AVOID
Jargon Abbreviations Assuming they know where anything is
WHAT TO PROVIDE
The exact path: what to click, in order
Screenshots, where helpful What they should see at each step
WHAT TO DO WHEN INSTRUCTIONS FAIL
Ask what they see, rather than repeating.
WHY
Repeating the same instruction implies they were not listening.
WHAT TO OFFER
Doing it for them, where possible and permitted.
WHY
It resolves the problem, and it is frequently faster for everyone.
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Express impatience, in any form Imply the question was basic
WHY THAT MATTERS COMMERCIALLY
Customers who feel foolish do not return, and they tell others.
WHAT TO RECOGNISE
That someone struggling with your interface is evidence about the interface.
WHAT TO RECORD
Where they got stuck.
WHAT TO PASS ON
That pattern, if several people stick at the same point.
WHAT TO PROVIDE AFTERWARDS
A written summary, so they can repeat it.
