Instructions without words
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342060)
Rockingham, Australia
April 16, 2018 2:30am CST
The photo shows one page of the instructions for assembling our mirrored Ikea doors. We’ve just purchased and assembled a lovely wardrobe in our bedroom. We have been very impressed with the workmanship of the components and although we had a few moments of puzzling over the instructions, in general we felt they were quite good.
As you can see, there are no words, just diagrams. Some of the elements are blown up to show how a particular piece fits into the jigsaw. The doors consist of four pieces of mirrored glass which have to be assembled into a framework. Unfortunately we broke three sections of mirror – each time as we were starting a new door. So we can’t finish the last door till we get more glass. After the third breakage we made up the door without the glass and were able to see where we were going wrong. So while it’s a shame it’s not the end of the world.
So I’m wondering how often you come across instructions without words. In some ways it was better than trying to decipher instructions which are written in really bad English.
30 people like this
31 responses
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
16 Apr 18
It's really hard work. I'm bad at this kind of work. So if I were you I will find someone to do it.
3 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
16 Apr 18
It's the equivalent of sign language isn't it? .. 
3 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
16 Apr 18
I experienced it once when we were putting the parts of a clothes rack. We looked at the instructions and it was in written in Chinese (which is I think equivalent to no written instructions at all). So we guessed how we will do it, until my husband found a way. 
2 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
16 Apr 18
@JudyEv Exactly, Judy. We had to really trust our instincts if there are no words or it is in Chinese. 
1 person likes this
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
16 Apr 18
I am feeling sorry for your bad experience with that piece of wardrobe! I too got some furniture sets, Fancy Ceiling fans and Chandeliers where we get diagrammatic instructions along with badly written instructions which are hard to understand! Anyway...better luck next time! have a great time @JudyEv!
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
16 Apr 18
Hi, Judy. That very thing happened to me just last night when I tried to make a practice run putting a beach shelter together before packing it for a trip. There were four kinds of parts included, labeled A B, C and D, but the D Part was not shown in the drawing.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137742)
• India
17 Apr 18
Congrats. You finally did it. I am not good at DIYeven with all the instructions be they diagrams or words (lol)
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137742)
• India
17 Apr 18
@JudyEv Youtube even has instructions on how to unbox a box (lol)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 18
@allknowing Really? Someone must have really wanted to create an instructional YouTube video.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
17 Apr 18
I like words and pictures as I get very impatient with flat pack instructions which only contain pictures. I assume it's because the product is shipped out to various countries and they can't be bothered with the different languages. However I'm not very practical and my partner manages fine with just pictures
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 18
As you say I guess no words means they don't have to worry about translations. These pictures were very clear. There were diagrams of all the different components at the beginning and how many of each part you needed. Then the diagrams themselves showed one small step at a time.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
17 Apr 18
@JudyEv Yes I need to count to 10 and concentrate on the pictures. I usually end up getting in a temper and calling my partner to come and help me. He is a bit slow but he always gets there in the end.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 18
@sprite1950 I think it is courting disaster to start thinking 'I know how this goes' and merrily carry on. I'm not saying you do this. We made the first basic wardrobe no worries and but then sailed along with the second and suddenly discovered we had the backing sheet with the nice white surface facing the wall. So we had to take it off and turn it over. It's easy to get over-confident.
We made the first basic wardrobe no worries and but then sailed along with the second and suddenly discovered we had the backing sheet with the nice white surface facing the wall. So we had to take it off and turn it over. It's easy to get over-confident.1 person likes this
@yugocean (9963)
• India
16 Apr 18
This is really sometyhing not worth, as this way we may not understand what it actually means.
I have different story, I broke a machine (that was repaired due to guarantee) it was due to instruction were written is unreadable smaller characters.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
16 Apr 18
Picture instructions are coming more common. This saves them needed to have the instructions translated and printed in multiple languages. Most of the time the picture are more than adequate.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (50528)
• United States
18 Apr 18
I don't think I've seen wordless instructions before
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Apr 18
It actually worked a lot better than I thought it would. The diagrams were very clear with only one piece of information on each so it was pretty hard to get lost, although we nearly managed it once or twice.
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
16 Apr 18
Blimey!! You're impressed with the workmanship and quality?? Ikea must be selling different stuff in Australia.
Mrs. WorDazza and I tend to visit Ikea about once every 5 years just to check things haven't changed. And guess what? They're still selling the same over-priced rubbish. Maybe the whole Scandinavian design thing just isn't my cup of tea!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Apr 18
Maybe it is different stuff. All the holes you need to match up with screws or whatever fit perfectly and snugly; there are the right number of screws for all the different parts; it's all packaged beautifully - we're been very happy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 18
Thanks but we've worked it out. The instructions were very helpful and quite clear so we didn't really have much trouble. The broken glass was because we didn't check what was happening.
@JESSY3236 (20046)
• United States
17 Apr 18
when i got my new keyboard, it had instructions without any words. I couldn't really figure what they meant.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342060)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Apr 18
The ones with words can be quite ambiguous especially if the translation isn't good.
