Re: Another Newbie question about procedures

[John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

> Some other types of procedural steps I can't stand:

Some questions:

> 3) The XYZ screen displays.
> [What is the user supposed to do here? This isn't a step - there's
> no user action.]

Do you have a problem with it phrased as the result of a step?

3) Click the XXX button.
   The XYZ screen, as shown in fig 2-1 is displayed

(BTW...let's not get into a "display" discussion)

> 5) Enter the user name.
> 6) Or search the database and select the user name.
> [Either/or actions should be one step - users aren't going to
> follow both of these steps.]

agreed

> 9) Enter the user address in the XYZ field and select the
> privileges associated with the user in the Privileges area of 
> the Users Are Us window.
> [If it's two steps - write it as two steps.]

I'm not so black/white on this one. If the "Privileges area" is a
byproduct of entering the user address, in other words, a sub-screen
from the one they enter the user address and if they close the user
address dialog, they cannot get to the next dialog, I'd leave them combined.

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer

?Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone 
amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built 
the Titanic.? - Dave Barry

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