Functional Evaluation of Consumer Documents
R. G. Funkhouser · Journal of Business Communication · 1983
Much business communication is directed to consumers-for example, contracts, warranties, directions, instructions, package labels, and package inserts. Consum ers use these communications in different ways, and the usefulness of such docu ments cannot be evaluated by readability formulas or rating scales. This paper advocates that consumer communications be evaluated as to their usability, tested by consumers in actual use situations. As an illustration, testing of several versions of a consumer loan contract is demonstrated, in comparison to formula and rating scale evaluations.