Procedural steps

Subject: Procedural steps
From: "Peter Ring, PRC" <prc -at- PIP -dot- DKNET -dot- DK>
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 1996 09:50:45 +1

On 5 November, Dick Dimock, NCR Corp. wrote ...

> Then I decided to accentuate the ACTION steps and de-emphasize the
> RESULT event:

> 1. Press Enter to start the xxx configuration
> Screen.
> The xxx configuration screen appears,
> asking for your ID:
> (Short screen shot)
> ______________________________

> 2 Enter your ID.
> The Password question appears:
> (maybe a shot)
> ____________________________

> 3. Enter your password.
> The configuration menu comes up.
> (shot)
> _______________________________

> 4. Select 1 for the first step.
> The Config. 1 screen displays.

> ETCCC.


According to my HEWIRES-CLEAR system for procedural steps, described
in my book "The PQM system - How to write better instruction manuals
..." (see below), the steps should be:

1. Press Enter to start the xxx configuration
Screen.
The xxx configuration screen appears.

2. [Short screen shot, with arrow to the ID box if necessary]

Enter your ID and press Enter.
The Password question appears.

3. [maybe a shot]

Enter your password.
If accepted, the configuration menu comes up.
If not accepted ...
- repeat step 2-3 with the correct ID and password.
- or abort: click "Cancel".

4. [shot of the configuration menu]

Select 1 for the first step.
The Config. 1 screen displays.

The reason for this design is the mental link between the shot and
the action: to perform a step, you need to know WHERE to do the
ACTION. Also remember to include the "Way out" in case of problems
like the "If not acepted" example given in step 3 above.

The book is described on my website (see below) and can be ordered
from me.

Greetings from Denmark

Peter Ring
PRC (Peter Ring Consultants)
- specialists in user friendly manuals and audits on manuals.
prc -at- pip -dot- dknet -dot- dk
http://www.pip.dknet.dk/~pip323/index.htm
- the "User Friendly Manuals" website with links, bibliography,
list of prof. associations, and tips for technical writers.


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