How to Make a Quick Reference Guide for Instant Help

[jrineakter]

In an age where we are constantly overloaded with information, the premise of a bite-sized, “snackable” version of that same information can be groundbreaking for its users.

So what does it take to effectively bridge information gaps in an organization? Can learning, training and information be successfully disseminated across teams and functions?

Quick reference guides are very useful here. They serve as easily digestible capsules of information that can be consumed on the go.

In this guide, we'll explore reference guides, their importance, and how to easily create one for your team. Let's get started.

What is a reference guide?
A reference guide is a document that provides end users with a condensed set of instructions or information about your product.

The goal of this document, unlike user manuals, is to help you find information and resolve queries as quickly as possible.

Brief and direct, it provides the reader with essential information.

Reference guides typically contain easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for users to perform a particular task . Because of their brevity, they play a critical role in accelerating the adoption of a product or service.

**Unlike detailed manuals, these guides focus on sharing concrete information that is easy to consume and implement.


What are the elements of a reference guide?
Quick reference guides are divided by objectives, but united by the common goal of making learning (or training) organic and easy.

Whether it's a step-by-step guide or a general guide to a product or process, here are some essential elements that make guides quick, consumable, and effective.

1. Title
Keeping it simple, make sure that the title of your reference guide answers – who the guide is for and what it solves – at a glance. This helps end users discover relevant guides faster when trying to resolve a query. This allows them to navigate your product or service with confidence, increasing the overall customer satisfaction quotient.

2. Content
When writing reference guides, always keep the content short. Cut down on jargon, complex communication, and thick paragraphs. This way, your audience can get to the heart of the matter sooner. The sooner the information solves their problems, the sooner they can get back to enjoying your service.

3. Visuals
The human brain can retain and process images at an impressive rate of 13 milliseconds . Therefore, incorporating elements like screenshots, icons, and UI images into your guide to make it visually appealing becomes a no-brainer . Plus, product guides and how-to videos are made much more engaging with visuals.

4. Format
The purpose of your quick reference guide dictates the most appropriate format for it.

For example, a process guidelines document may require a simple structure. On the other hand, creating a practical guide would incorporate multiple sections .

5. Brevity
An effective reference guide is austria number data almost always skimmable and is limited to a maximum of two pages . Practicing brevity is a great exercise in simplifying product or process information. It makes it accessible even to the technically uninitiated.

Bonus: Learn how to write technical specifications in a way that is easy for everyone to understand.

Why is a reference guide important?
A reference guide should carry its weight, that is, be self-explanatory while anticipating and answering questions that end users may have .

It all depends on the accuracy and ease of use of the quick reference guide.

But before we explore how quick reference guides can build customer loyalty or increase customer satisfaction, let’s look at why they’re important.