RE: Butt-or-ego insulation query

Subject: RE: Butt-or-ego insulation query
From: kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 13:40:32 -0700


John "the Pope of Technical Writing" Posada wrote:

> I'm a big fan of visual logic decision trees which I do in Visio to help me
> determine how to write the instructions.
>
> 1) Do you have a token
> Yes - Initialize it and go to step 3
> No - Go to step 2
>
> 2) Do you Need a token
> Yes - Contact xxx and when received, go to step 1
> No - Got to End
>
> etc., etc.
>
> Every step along the way must have a Yes or No. You'd be amazed at what dead
> ends you place the reader if you don't include something to do at every Yes
> and No point. Ever see a document that says:
>
> 1) Do X. You should see Y
> 2) At Y, do Z.
>
> The problem is that the instruction never says what to do if you DON't see
> Y. This process eliminates that trap.



John, THAT is the coolest thing I've learned on this list in years.

Seriously.

THANK YOU!




Keith Cronin
1) Do I have a beer?
Yes - get another one, because this one will be gone soon.
No - for God's sake, man, get a beer!

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