Need a word

Wed Nov 14 14:53:07 MST 2007

> A task is _what_ to do; a procedure is _how_ to do it. To

complete a task, you follow one or more procedures. And a set of steps

is a procedure.

True, but I don't see how that is much different from what Joyce and I
suggested. I'm not sure where is the gap?

>There's no need for the complexity and vagueness of "sub steps"

"sub steps" are complex *and* vaugue?

Could you explain further?

Blessings,

Darren

****************************************

Darren J. Butler

Sr. Technical Writer-Editor, Template Wrangler, Mil-Spec Pharisee

Integrated Data for Maintenance

NG Corp

-----Original Message-----
From:
techwr-l-bounces+darren.butler.ctr=robins.af.mil at lists.techwr-l.com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+darren.butler.ctr=robins.af.mil at lists.techwr-l.
com] On Behalf Of Combs, Richard
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 4:37 PM
To: tech.writer1 at verizon.net; techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
Subject: RE: Need a word

tech.writer1 at verizon.net wrote:

> To accomplish a particular task, four sets of steps have to 

> be done. What do you call these four things?

I'm with Bill. A task is _what_ to do; a procedure is _how_ to do it. To

complete a task, you follow one or more procedures. And a set of steps

is a procedure. 

There's no need for the complexity and vagueness of "sub steps" in this

scenario. And "task" needs to remain at the top level. 

Why eliminate the concept of "procedure" from what is generally defined

as _procedural_ documentation?

Richard

------

Richard G. Combs

Senior Technical Writer

Polycom, Inc.

richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom

303-223-5111

------

rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom

303-777-0436

------

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