Manual Improvement Analysis
Tailored Solutions Backed by 40 Years of Expertise
Drawing on 40 years of manual creation know-how and proven success, we analyze issues within your user manuals and recommend concrete solutions. We approach your problems using a three-point approach focused on improving information architecture and expressions, ensuring user safety through product safety standards, and optimizing operations to build scalable information assets.
3 Reasons Clients Continue to Choose Us
Objective evaluations and analyses that bring that tricky “something” to light
We transform vague feedback like “it’s just hard to understand” into objective analysis. Using international standards (IEC/IEEE 82079-1), expert heuristic evaluations, and usability testing, we evaluate content from multiple angles. We assess findability, readability, and visual clarity to optimize your manual’s UI and UX.
Comprehensive evaluations and practical improvement proposals AI-powered rapid assessmentImproved safety precautions based on risk assessments
We cross-check the design department’s risk assessment results against current manual text, including warning labels and caution notices, to identify possible discrepancies. Based on our findings, we propose improvements to safety precaution statements that are necessary for effective risk reduction.
Safety precaution optimization through risk analysisStandardization and system adoption support for consistent quality and independent operation
In addition to unifying quality by standardizing authoring rules and data structures, we build production workflows and provide ongoing support to normalize operational practices. By addressing both systems and execution, we help you establish a framework that maintains a consistent level of quality.
Manual standardization and system adoption supportStrong Support Through Technology and Infrastructure
Comprehensive evaluations and practical improvement proposals
We perform objective evaluations and analyses from multiple points of view to address the challenges suggested by vague feedback like “it’s just hard to understand” or “support calls keep coming in.” We visualize any identified problems in a structured report and provide actionable solutions with a clear road map for resolution.
- Expert Quality Evaluation (Heuristic Evaluation)
- Adhering to human-centered design (HCD) principles, our manual production specialists evaluate manuals across multiple dimensions, including findability, readability, and visual clarity. We analyze identified issues from a UI/UX point of view and deliver actionable recommendations to ensure users can effortlessly navigate and understand content.
- International Standards Audit (IEC/IEEE 82079-1)
- We perform rigorous compliance evaluations based on IEC/IEEE 82079-1, the international standard governing information for the use of products, to verify that technical manuals satisfy global standards.
Establishing compliance with IEC/IEEE 82079-1 facilitates seamless alignment with related regional and national standards.
- Usability Test
- We observe users operating products while referencing manuals to analyze how they interact with content in real time. Tracking actual user behavior and instances of confusion allows us to identify usability concerns and ambiguous phrasing in order to pinpoint specific areas for improvement.
AI-powered rapid assessment
Our AI engine rapidly analyzes your manuals to objectively evaluate content quality based on international standard IEC/IEEE 82079-1. The results are delivered with clear, quantified scoring metrics alongside a detailed analysis report.
Contact us any time for an in-depth documentation audit or customized improvement proposals.
Safety precaution optimization through risk analysis
We work in collaboration with specialized machinery and product safety teams to organize essential safety information based on product risk assessments. We review the descriptions in your current content and propose improved safety notices that ensure clear communication of safety precautions and reduce legal liability risks.
- Safety Information Audits Through Expert Collaboration
- Partnering with our in-house product safety and machinery safety experts, we cross-check your product risk assessment results against the descriptions in your existing manuals. We identify issues such as inconsistent or insufficient information and missing warning instructions to pinpoint specific areas that need improvement.
- Aligning Safety Information with Specification Changes
- We carefully examine your technical documentation to identify unapplied changes resulting from product redesigns or version upgrades. Our process cleans up outdated, redundant caution statements that no longer serve a purpose while providing newly essential information.
- Japan Product Liability Act and International Safety Standards Compliance
- We verify whether your documentation complies with the Japan Product Liability (PL) Act and international safety standards. We select the correct hazard levels (DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION) to accurately convey residual risks to rewrite safety notices as clear, unambiguous statements.
Manual standardization and system adoption support
Maintaining consistent quality across work divided among multiple authors, multilingual rollouts, and long-term revision cycles requires standardization and adoption of effective systems. We help you establish sustainable systems that reduce reliance on specific individuals and ensure that manuals remain useful assets.
- Manual Standardization: Rules and Data Structure Design for Consistent Quality
- We formalize standard rules governing terminology definitions, style guides, and layouts to create shared reference criteria for all team members. Depending on your requirements, we also recommend structuring content using standardized frameworks such as DITA. Managing manual documentation as modular components reduces redundant entries and missed edits during updates.
- Building an Independent Framework for Continuous Quality Maintenance
- By providing a workflow architecture and operational support, we help your teams adopt standard rules and production environments across your organization. If you plan on transitioning to in-house manual production, we offer total support, including development and integration of customized manual authoring solutions. We can assist you in establishing effective frameworks that maintain and manage quality as a system.
Service Flow
STEP
Consultation
During consultation, we confirm the target product, usage environment, and users. By listening to your current challenges and goals for improvement, we establish a shared vision of the ideal outcome.
STEP
Planning and Estimate
Based on our initial consultation, we design an optimal consulting plan tailored to your specific needs and budget, incorporating services such as quality evaluations and safety standard assessments. We then provide a clear road map for execution along with a cost estimate.
STEP
Manual Evaluation and Analysis
We evaluate the quality of your manuals from multiple perspectives based on objective assessment criteria. Drawing on 40 years of accumulated production expertise, our analysis uncovers not only surface-level issues but also potential underlying challenges.
STEP
Analysis Result Report
We provide an in-depth evaluation report mapping the current strengths and vulnerabilities in your manuals, accompanied by a formal presentation session. Based on the analysis results, we provide you with a clear set of actionable improvements and a strategic road map for resolving your issues.
STEP
Improvements and Support
We handle content rewriting, structural overhauls, and the standardization of authoring guidelines based on our improvement proposals. When necessary, we also recommend operational support and writing assistance solutions to ensure long-term, continuous application of this system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- After evaluating and analyzing our manuals, can you also perform rewrites?
- Yes, we can. In addition to highlighting issues through evaluation reports, we can handle all of the necessary processes, from rewrites by technical writers to structural and design improvements.
- The manual is for a product we haven’t announced yet that is still in development. Is your security framework adequate?
- If the project requires it, your proprietary information will be strictly protected through a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and managed internally in accordance with our group-wide information security policy. A dedicated committee manages information security and performs regular external vulnerability assessments and employee education.
- Our product is extremely specialized. Can a third-party really evaluate properly?
- Our staff has experience creating manuals for a wide variety of product sectors. We gain a deep understanding of your product by reviewing technical specifications and conducting hands-on inspections and usability tests as needed. Based on the insights we gain, we provide comprehensive evaluations and improvement recommendations. We will consult with you in advance regarding the necessary information and verification methods required for proper assessment.
- How long does it usually take to evaluate and analyze a manual?
- It depends on the page count and evaluation method (expert evaluation, usability tests, etc.) for the target manual, but it usually takes between a few weeks to a month and a half from initial consultation to presentation of the results. If you have a desired schedule you want to work from, contact us and we can arrange a flexible plan to meet your needs.