# Self-evident websites do not need instructions
Usable websites are self-evident, therefore time to build websites should proportionately being spent on making them self-evident rather than writing instructions on how to use them. If self-evidence is not achievable, try to make it self-explanatory first (Websites should be self-explanatory when not self-evident). Lastly, when something could not be made self-explanatory, a short instruction could be written.
# References
Krug, Don’t make me think (p. 51).
Another major source of needless words is instructions. The main thing you need to know about instructions is that no one is going to read them - at least not until after repeated attempts at "muddling through" have failed. And even then, if the instructions are wordy, the odds of users finding the information they need are pretty low.
# Backlinks
- Self-evident design removes explanation
- Usable websites require less psychic energy to be used
- This is why Web usability is achieved by designing for the intended attention types. Adding long instructions, for example, will drain the users energy unnecessarily (Self-evident websites do not need instructions).