TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: textless instructions From:Phil Atkinson <phila -at- INTUITIVE -dot- CO -dot- UK> Date:Tue, 1 Oct 1996 16:47:23 +-100
Jennifer Bruxelles wrote:
<<Snip>>
Does anyone have any advice on what I should consider or where I could find
information on textless instructions?
I must start by stating that I am not an authority on textless instructions and I have no idea where you can find references. I do, however, have an opinion on this matter and I would share it with you if you are interested.
It would seem that the best advice is NOT to even try and cram all of this information into just 4 pages. Has this limit been imposed upon you? Surely you should fit the manual to the information contained within rather than fitting the information to the manual.
However utopian this advice may be, I am still a realist. If you have a situation where this information has to be printed within 4 pages, you are going to have to find some exceptional graphics. What sort of instructions are you trying to document? It may be that you have a job here for an Illustrator rather than a Technical Author.
--
Phil Atkinson
phila -at- intuitive -dot- co -dot- uk
Intuitive Systems Limited http://www.intuitive.co.uk