Over the course of time, the requirements for user information such as operating instructions, operating instructions or Instructions for Use change again and again. It makes sense to occasionally check the extent to which the documents created still meet the current requirements. This is exactly what our Documentation Check does.
Scope of the check
During the course of the consultation, we analyse your user information with regard to compliance with legal and normative requirements that apply to your product.
In addition to the formal structure and completeness of the manual, the following points, among others, are checked:
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Structure and system
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Missing or superfluous contents
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Safety concept
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Phrasing
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Illustration system
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Layout and clarity
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User-friendliness and navigation
In addition, we develop proposals for improvement in relation to the points above. You will then receive a report on the Documentation Check with a brief overview of the test criteria applied, the evaluation of the implementation in the tested manual and our suggestions for improvement.
In an optional consultation appointment – by telephone, online conference or at your premises – we present the results of our analysis to you.
We use the Documentation Check to identify any deviations in your operating manual from the normative requirements. This is the basis on which you can make targeted improvements to increase compliance with the European directives for your company.
Additional options
The following additional options supplement the Documentation Check with further evaluation criteria for specific questions.
Additional option: Checking translations
We select a sample of 10 pages from the manual for your product and have them checked by our native-speaking Specialist Translators for the following points:
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Completeness (consistency with the source text)
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Target audience-specific translation
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Spelling and Grammar
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Comprehensibility
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Terminology
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Consideration of cultural and country-specific peculiarities of the target country
The test is based on ISO 17100:2015 "Translation services – Requirements for translation services".
Additional option: Checking the instructions for use in the USA
The US market is subject to special product liability conditions. In contrast to Europe, there are very few standards or directives on technical documentation. At the same time, harsh penalties must be anticipated in product liability cases. Manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to instructional deficiencies.
Your manuals are checked according to criteria that we have developed in cooperation with American Lawyers. In addition, we test in accordance with requirements of ANSI Z535.6 "American National Standard For Product Safety Information in Product Manuals, Instructions, and Other Collateral Materials".
Ideally, we will receive the US English version of your manual for review. Alternatively, the German manual can be checked before translation into US English.
Additional option: Inspection of the plant documentation according to criteria contained in DIN Technical Report 146
The "Technical product documentation – Instructions for plants – Guidelines for compiling information from instructions for individual components" provides a uniform guideline for technical documentation in plant construction.
On the basis of a checklist, we check compliance with the requirements for plant documentation specified in DIN Technical Report 146, and in particular with regard to:
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Content and structure
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Safety concept
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Text integration and references
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Technical data of the entire system
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Life phases
The instructions for the individual components are not the subject of the test, but must be made available to us.
Additional option: Check of the Risk Assessment
Just as with the instructions, it makes sense to occasionally check the compliance of the risk assessments required by the Machinery Directive with the normative requirements. We offer this as an additional option as part of the Documentation Check.
Find out more: ⇘ ‘We check your Risk Assessment’