Publish at April 15 2026 Updated April 15 2026
You may never have read instructions for simple tasks such as opening a tap or a cupboard door, but as soon as you are faced with an unfamiliar context or a complex task, such as fitting a tap or a kitchen cupboard if you've never done it before, instructions become the key to achieving a satisfactory result while avoiding failure. Necessary equipment, important points, priorities, order of execution, time to consider... instructions guide the neophyte to the right destination.
In short, instructions come from previous experience, whether that of others or your own, and become useful when the experience is repeated. They supplement the user's limited or absent experience or long-term memory.
They are not hypotheses, theoretical explanations or vague advice; good instructions are precise, well contextualized and adapted to the likely user. A recipe book, or a carpentry or knitting pattern so full of codes that they are complex, are used by people who may be experienced, but who are faced with a challenge that would be difficult to meet without instructions. You can't become an expert on a new million-euro machine.
The need for reference instructions arises when :
"Instruire" has the same etymological root as "instrument"; instructions are always anchored in concrete reality.
In companies and institutions, procedures and instructions reflect the standards expected of the service or product. To deviate from them is to distort the very function of the organization and hinder its operation. In a library, books are classified in a certain way, bound so that they can withstand use, and registered for loan in a strict form. In many areas, instructions do not tolerate much deviation.
Instructions at the onboarding stage for new students or employees are particularly strategic (1). A school's operations are supported by a number of rules that are more or less explicit, but which standardize interactions into a manageable flow. Students enter through this door, complaints are dealt with here and paper recycling goes there.
Following instructions does not mean abdicating one's autonomy, but rather signalling one's consent to be part of a whole that cannot exist without that consent. Zeal strikes and overzealousness can paralyze any organization in a very short space of time, proving that consent and autonomy are always present. Good measurement and negotiation of rules ensure this consent.
Beyond consent, good instructions do not guarantee that the person reading them will be able to interpret them correctly, or even that he or she will be willing to pay attention to them. This is a critical point that is difficult to assess.
For some people, following instructions is tantamount to judging their level of competence, because following them effectively means suspending one's autonomy for a moment. But true professionals know how to recognize the value of others' experience, as well as that of instructions. The ability to follow instructions is a highly relevant job selection criterion in many environments (2).
The art of writing instructions is a well-covered and constantly evolving subject (3). Who hasn't viewed instructions on YouTube? Instructions are probably the largest training activity in terms of frequency and volume worldwide. When the instructions provided don't seem clear to the user, or aren't adapted to his or her context, hundreds of people have probably stumbled across the same problem. Of course, there will always be a few to act as substitute instructors... but with levels of reliability that are, to say the least, random.
If we add artificial intelligence to the mix, the question of the credibility of instructions found online becomes even more acute: the average experience of an average person is not as good as that of a professional or specialist, and even less so if the context is removed. In other words, instructions written by an artificial intelligence, devoid of experience and judgment, are systematically questionable, and automatically translated instructions are not much better. In practice, the manufacturer's instructions or those of a recognized specialist have an advantage.
Creativity materializes when a designer is able to achieve the result he or she envisions; without prior mastery, creativity remains virtual. Fortunately, instructions provide access to the first level of mastery, and experimentation to the second, which the researcher can formalize into instructions if necessary. Both the researcher and the artist or craftsman pass through these stages, in which instructions are both the basis and then ensure continuity.
Procedures for achieving a certain level of quality can be codified in instructions, and may represent unique know-how that is worth keeping secret in many cases. Certain instructions, procedures or formulas are therefore reserved for the "guardians of orthodoxy".
For example, for ages, the secrets of Venetian glassmaking were carefully handed down to authorized craftsmen (4) . Today, many companies protect their trade secrets through patents and official registrations. Non-disclosure clauses are now part of most companies' contracts.
The capital of instructions that an institution or company possesses is generally undervalued. From onboarding procedures to trade secrets, from instruction manuals to training videos, this intangible heritage is worth its weight in gold (5).
It's literally the institution's genetic code; the one that ensures that any new element can be integrated into the whole without too much disruption, as long as it's capable of... follow instructions.
References
1- Welcome - Onboarding
6 key elements for a successful onboarding process + best practices - Sarah Busque - Agendrix
https://www.agendrix.com/fr/blogue/elements-cles-onboarding-employes-meilleures-pratiques
10 key steps to successful onboarding - Deel
https://www.deel.com/fr/blog/etapes-cles-onboarding/
Onboarding Checklist - Folks
https://folksrh.com/en/hr-library/checklist-the-essentials-for-a-successful-onboarding
Optimize your onboarding and retain your talent from day 1 - Workelo
https://lp.workelo.eu/kit-outils-onboarding?utm_term=parcours%20int%C3%A9gration%20salari%C3%A9
Onboarding: The guide to successfully integrating new talent - Sigma-RH
https://www.sigma-rh.com/fr-ca/blogue/guide-complet-onboarding/
Onboarding training: the secrets of a humane and successful integration - Wooclaphttps://www.wooclap.com/fr/blog/onboarding-en-formation/
2- Following instructions
Why do we have trouble following instructions? Techniques to remedy this - Sergi Sánchez Mancha - StepAlong
https://www.stepalong.com/fr/suivre-les-instructions-perspective-psychologique/
Test your ability to follow instructions - Scribe
https://fr.scribd.com/document/831166788/Habilete-a-suivre-les-instructions
Test "Understanding instructions": Pre-selection assessment for hiring the best candidates - Test Gorilla
https://www.testgorilla.com/fr/bibliotheque-de-tests/capacite-cognitive/test-de-suivi-des-instructions/
How do you teach your child to follow your instructions? - ABA Léman
https://www.aba-leman.com/blog/comment-apprendre-lenfant-de-suivre-vos-instructions
3- Writing instructions
Tips for writing instructions: users are looking for practical advice on how to write instructions effectively - Stéphane Avronsart - Axone Consulting
https://axonesconsulting.fr/conseils-rediger-mode-emploi/
How to write good work instructions: 10 easy steps - Ben Baldwin - VKS
https://vksapp.com/fr/blogue/comment-rediger-de-bonnes-instructions-de-travail
6 steps to good work instructions - Azumuta
https://www.azumuta.com/fr/blog/creating-work-instructions-how-do-you-do-it/
How to write instructions - Rachel Scoggins, PhD - Wikihow
https://fr.wikihow.com/%C3%A9crire-des-instructions
How to make a work instruction? - Ryan Knott - TechSmith
https://www.techsmith.fr/blog/faire-instruction-travail/
Visual work instructions - Patrick Lemay - Tulip
https://tulip.co/fr/blog/visual-work-instructions/
4- The fascinating history of Murano glass - https://muranonline.com/fr/magazine/post/histoire-fascinante-des-lustres-de-murano
5- The value of intangible assets
A company's intangible capital - Legal Place
https://www.legalplace.fr/guides/capital-immateriel-entreprise/
The 12 main intangible values and associated measurement indicators - Ordre des comptables - Conseil supérieur
https://www.cap-immateriel.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CSOEC-Encourager-%C3%A0-g%C3%A9rer-les-actifs-immat%C3%A9riels-des-PME-2011-janvier.pdf
A practical guide to structuring and valorizing your company's invisible assets - Scale2sell
https://www.scale2sell.company/content/creer-de-la-valeur-immaterielle-guide-pratique-pour-structurer-et-valoriser-les-atouts-invisibles-de-votre-entreprise
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