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Given the audience, I would prefer to write a single set of generic
procedures followed by notes and tips on exceptions. However, if it
turned out that the generic procedures weren't all that generic and the
exceptions procedures were becoming lengthy, I'd fall back on individual
procedures with, as you suggested, one or two cross-referenced
procedures.
A style of procedure you don't see much could be useful here: a
two-column table with, for each step, a simplified procedure in the left
column and the full procedure in the right column. Users who don't need
to follow the full procedure can ignore the right column, while those
who've forgotten the complete procedure don't have to page through the
manual to find the one place where you've documented it.
In FrameMaker, I suppose you could use sideheads for the left column.
Haven't tried that, though.
Another factor, come to think of it, is the overall length of the
manual. Paging through a 300-page manual to find a procedure is more
inconvenient than paging through a 100-page manual.
= Mike Bradley
Tech Pubs
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