Re: purpose of arrows --> (was Insert-->Arrow...)

[barbara karst-sabin <barbara -at- QUOTE -dot- COM>]

I've seen the form:
1.  Start > Programs > RoboHelp (etc.)
used most often.  I think it may be from Microsoft's Style Guide, which has been
adopted by many organizations and seems to be on its way to becoming the
industry standard.

BJ

Holly Turner wrote:

> Several of you asked why we were considering arrows to represent actions =
> in our procedures.  We are not concerned with reducing word count.  The =
> purpose was to remove words that might get in the way of completing the =
> procedure.
>
> For instance,  it's easier for me to pick out the menu items in this =
> step:
>
> 1. Start-->Programs-->RoboHelp-->RoboHTML.
>
> Than to find them in this one:
> 1.  Open the Start menu, choose Programs, choose RoboHelp,
>      and then choose RoboHTML.
>
> Those "extra" words sort of get in the way.  They make me read the whole =
> sentence (which is a bit awkward), when all I really need to know is the =
> name of each menu item (and that the arrow means to choose it, of =
> course!)
>
> Thanks to all of you that have sent responses to the list and personally =
> to me.  We are still talking about which method will work best, and =
> we're planning a little usability study of our own.  I am leaning toward =
> what several of you have suggested--Starting out with an action word, =
> and then following up with the arrows.  Example:
>
> 1. From the Start menu, choose Programs-->RoboHelp-->RoboHTML.
>
> My main concern was that the user did not have a contextual frame of =
> reference.  This construction provides the frame of reference and is =
> concise at the same time.
>
> Thanks, again!
>
> -Holly
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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> Holly Turner
> Technical Writer
>
> Internet Security Systems, Inc.
> Atlanta, GA
> http://www.iss.net
>
> Adaptive Network Security for the Enterprise
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000==


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