Making Manuals Obsolete: Getting Information out of the Manual and into the Product
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/stc/tc/1998/00000045/00000002/art00003
  access restricted (by the publisher) to members/subscribers/customers only
  peer-reviewed

Millar, Carol
Technical Communication Online
1998

Abstract:

Users loathe reading the operating manuals that accompany new equipment. Manuals often sit unused on a shelf, far from their targeted audience, while the costs of technical support soar. This article promotes integrating information traditionally found in printed manuals into the product itself and reports the experience of a design team in developing an easy-to-use product requiring minimal printed documentation. As part of design teams, technical communicators can advocate both reducing the amount of information required to operate a product and making the information immediately available when needed. These strategies can produce increased customer satisfaction and lower post-sales support costs.