Laws of UX
Paradox of the Active User
Users never read manuals — they start using software immediately. Design for exploration, not instruction. Progressive disclosure, inline help, and sensible defaults serve active users.
In plain terms
People dive straight in without reading instructions, so design for exploring, not for manuals.
Why this matters
People won't read your instructions, so anything that depends on them being read will fail. Designs that work through exploration and sensible defaults serve everyone, including those who can't access a manual.