Even when manuals are created and maintained, they often go unread in the workplace.
Many people struggle with how to make it easier for users to find the manuals they need.
The most common way users search for manuals is through folders, but to ensure users can properly find manuals, it is important to prepare not just one, but multiple access routes.
First, prepare devices for viewing manuals in the workplace
Even if manuals are all available in Teachme Biz, they won't be used if there is no environment in place that allows immediate access when needed.
Especially in retail and food service industries, it is common for manuals to only be accessible on a single PC in the break room.
When people repeatedly find themselves without a device when they need one, or find that someone else is already using it, the habit of consulting manuals never takes root.
If providing every employee with a device is difficult, simply preparing multiple shared devices can be effective.
Tablets and smartphones are portable, so temporarily lending them to employees or staff who especially need to be reading manuals — such as new hires — is also a recommended approach.
While cost is a concern, it is extremely important to first create an environment where Teachme Biz can be accessed easily at any time, whether by setting up a network or implementing BYOD*.
*Bring Your Own Device: The practice of employees bringing their personally owned mobile devices to the workplace and using them for work purposes.
Once viewing devices are in place, focus on improving access flows and utilizing features to make manuals easier to find.
There are multiple main routes for viewing manuals
When browsing manuals, users find them through one or more of the following routes.
- Finding manuals by navigating through folders
- Finding manuals by navigating through the portal page
- Finding manuals by using the "search function"
- Having manuals delivered individually by an administrator via the distribution function (the viewer does not search)
- Finding manuals by utilizing other convenient features
Which route has the highest usage rate?
Among the multiple routes available, the one most frequently chosen by users is:
- Finding manuals by navigating through folders
Depending on company culture and folder structure, at some companies up to about 70% of users search this way.
※ This reflects the situation before the portal page feature was released in September 2023.
Therefore, it is recommended to first review and improve the "finding manuals by navigating through folders" route.
Finding manuals by navigating through folders
Properly organizing your folder structure is the most direct way to help users find manuals.
When creating folders, many organizations divide them by department, but depending on the user, many people also search by task category.
Is there room to improve by structuring folders and subfolders by task category or purpose?
On the other hand, reorganizing folder structures requires considerable time and effort.
Additionally, since folders are also the unit for assigning permissions such as viewer and editor roles, there are cases where it is difficult to create a structure optimized purely for searching.
If restructuring folders is not practical, it is recommended to instead focus on reviewing and improving other access routes.
Finding manuals by navigating through the portal page
Using the portal page, you can consolidate "the information you want to show, to the audience you want, in the order you want" into a single page.
It takes some effort to plan the structure and create the pages, but it is a very user-friendly route for viewers.
Since there is no need to change the folder structure, no changes to permission settings or management structure are required either.
If you have a clear idea of "which manuals you want specific groups of people to see," please make use of the portal page feature.
Finding manuals by using the "search function"
A method that requires minimal time and cost is using the search function to find and view manuals.
Once users master it, it is extremely convenient — they will end up searching for manuals rather than navigating through folders.
Benefits of establishing a "search" habit
The benefit of establishing a search habit is that it dramatically reduces the time it takes to find a manual.
However, there are surprisingly many people who say "I've never searched before so I don't use it" or "I feel uncomfortable with searching so I avoid it."
How to establish the "search" habit
At first, it is important to provide careful support, such as offering opportunities to explain how to search, and searching together with users until they become comfortable.
During the creation phase, it is important for manual creators to craft titles and descriptions carefully so that manuals appear in search results. It is also effective to add search tags thoroughly.
Furthermore, there are various search methods, such as "search all manuals" and "search within a folder."
By promoting these search methods using the manuals below and making it easier for users to find what they need, the habit of "searching" will gradually take hold.
How to improve search usability
By reviewing the search logs in Teachme Biz, you can understand what search terms users are using and whether they were able to find the manuals they needed.
As users repeatedly experience finding manuals through search, they will develop the habit of turning to Teachme Biz whenever they have a question.
For details on how to use search tags, please refer to the article below.
Having manuals delivered individually by an administrator via the distribution function
Manuals can not only be searched by users, but can also be distributed and sent to users by administrators.
Using the "Task Distribution Function" to send one-time task requests with manuals attached
The task distribution function allows you to send manuals to users as task requests.
For example,
- Sending a manual on how to fill out a submission form with a deadline for submission by the end of the month
- Sending a manual on a new recipe or product information with a deadline for review by the end of the week
- Requesting an urgent update to a computer or tool
It can be used in a wide variety of scenarios.
The task distribution function not only distributes manuals but also allows you to track users' task completion status.
To improve task completion rates, it is also possible to select only users who have not yet completed a task and redistribute it to them.
If you have never used the task function before, please give it a try.
Using the "Training Function" to learn tasks in advance
The training function is a feature that compiles and distributes the manuals employees need as a course.
For example,
- A course on customer service procedures for new employees
- A course on duties for supervisors such as store managers
- A course covering tasks with many things to learn, such as operating versatile machinery
This feature also lends itself to a wide variety of uses.
We also actually run online training using the training function at our own company.
With the training function, you can check progress after sending a course, making it useful for new employee onboarding and follow-up training.
Also, since distributed courses can be viewed at any time, they can also be used for reviewing completed content.
※ The training function is available on the Basic Plan and above.
Finding manuals using other convenient features
In addition to folders, search, and the distribution function, there are other convenient features that help users find the manuals they need when they need them.
Accessing manuals via "QR codes"
Teachme Biz has a feature that converts a manual's URL into a QR code.
By printing QR codes as stickers with a printer and placing them in the relevant locations, users can access a manual directly simply by scanning the QR code with a smartphone or similar device.
For example,
- How to use the projector in the conference room
- How to replace toner in the copy machine
- How to perform machine maintenance
By placing QR codes near machines and equipment, users can instantly check operating instructions.
Mipox Corporation, one of our users, has also been working on building manual access routes using QR codes.
Searching via "New Manuals," "Recently Viewed Manuals," and "Bookmarks"
Teachme Biz has features that allow users to check manuals they have recently viewed and bookmark manuals for later.
By having users take advantage of these features, it becomes easier to access the manuals each user frequently uses.
Additionally, "New Manuals" allows users to view manuals that have been newly published within the past two weeks.
Informing users of these features often leads to increased use of Teachme Biz.
Start by understanding the situation of your users
We have introduced a variety of approaches, but above all, it is extremely important to first understand the current state of your users and implement measures that are suited to that situation.
Teachme Biz also has a report function for analyzing viewing status, so use it to check usage patterns and then work on improvements.
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