Tables inside numbered lists

[James Barrow]

Hi Christian,

I've had the same problem with managers who really didn't understand good
tech writing.  I'm guessing that you're stubborn project manager is looking
at the step procedures in a completely linear fashion, and that going from
step 6 to step 1 would confuse the reader.  That's what mine believed.

Although I can't find the source that I cited at the time in favor of
renumbering a subset of steps within a step procedure, I do know that Sharon
Burton (on this list) can articulate the reasons better than I.  

This is, of course, what you're dealing with, a subset of the main step
procedure.  If this subset is optional or changes depending on the actions
performed in the previous main step, then I think you should start that
subset at #1.

I'll continue looking for a source that backs this up.  HTH.

- Jim


>Christian Walters wrote:

I've got a stubborn project manager, and I need help either finding ammo
to shoot her down with, or finding out that I'm wrong-headed about this.
 
We have a book of procedures, and many of those procedures have a table
inside.  And some of those table cells have small embedded procedures.
So we're talking about something like this:
 
6. Continue with the following:
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   |  To...        |    Do this...                          |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   |  Some step                             |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   | 1. Step one                            |
   |               | 2. Step two                            |
   |               | 3. Step three                          |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   |  Some step                             |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
7. Next step.
 
To me, this is common sense.  But this project manager is insisting on:
 
6. Continue with the following:
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   |  To...        |    Do this...                          |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   |  Some step                             |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   | 7. Step one                            |
   |               | 8. Step two                            |
   |               | 9. Step three                          |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   | Some action   |  Some step                             |
   ----------------------------------------------------------
10. Next step.
 
So. Should I let her have her way? Or should I stand my ground on
readability? And if so, are there studies or anything I can show her
besides my insistence?
 
Thanks for any advice, y'all :)