Standard instructions versus creating your own instructions

Nowadays, sharing knowledge within organizations is crucial to ensure efficiency and productivity. One of the ways organizations can share knowledge is by using instructions. Whether it's software adoption, onboarding or customer support, clear and accessible instructions are a very useful and effective solution.

On the one hand, you often benefit from the included software-specific instructions, but it is of course also possible to develop instructions itself as an organization. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. But how do you decide which method is best for your organization? In this blog, we discuss the differences.

Standard instructions

Standard instructional material is often provided by external providers, such as software developers or consultants. Standard instructions are often based on best practices and designed to be understandable and applicable to the general public.

Benefits of standard instructions

• Rapid deployment: Because the instructions already exist, standard instructions are often applied directly, which is useful when time is an important factor.
• Proven effective: Standard instructions are often based on extensive testing and user feedback, ensuring reliability.
• Consistency: Standard instructions ensure a uniform approach within the organization, which helps to maintain a consistent approach.

Disadvantages of standard instructions

• Not always tailored: Standard instructions are designed for a broad target group, so they may not be a perfect fit for an organization's needs.
• Limited flexibility: Standard instructions offer little room for customization, which can be a problem for organizations with unique business processes.

Homemade instructions

Creating instructions yourself offers organizations the flexibility to explain specific processes and procedures in detail. By using tools such as SelfGuide, organizations can easily create personalized and accessible instructions.

Benefits of homemade instructions

• Fully customized: Self-made instructions can be tailored to the unique needs and practices of the organization.
• Better connection to internal processes: When instructions are developed by internal teams, they are more in tune with the context and culture of the organization.
• Faster updates: When processes change, self-made instructions can be easily modified.

Disadvantages of homemade instructions

• Time-consuming: Creating your own instructions can be time-intensive, especially when frequent updates are needed.
• Depends on internal knowledge: The success of self-made instructions depends on the availability and level of expertise within the organization.

The strength of SelfGuide

Self Guide offers the flexibility to use both standard and customized instructions. With the tool, standard instructions can be easily integrated, and personalized step-by-step guides can be developed. SelfGuide allows quick updates and adapts to changing business needs, ensuring optimal knowledge sharing and efficiency within the organization. Whether you choose standard instructions, self-made instructions, or a combination of both, the key is that instructional content contributes to the organization's goals. SelfGuide can assist with this by making it easy to create, share and integrate instructions.