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Wordless Docs (was : how do you indicate blinking lights?)
Subject:Wordless Docs (was : how do you indicate blinking lights?) From:"Martinek, Carla" <CMartinek -at- zebra -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 5 Feb 2008 11:18:45 -0600
-----Original Message-----
I hate "wordless" documentation! It reduces the possibility of clear
communication in at least one language into a guessing game in no
language at all.
Elevators have buttons marked <|> and >|<. They are presumably for "open
door" and "close door" respectively, but by the time you remember which
is which, the doors have already opened or closed. The only one you
actually want is "open door" so that you can hold the door open for
someone, but you're afraid to press either of them, for fear you might
have guessed wrong. Instead you stick you hand into the closing
guillotine. There's no point in arguing the issue with elevator gurus,
because the meaning of the buttons is totally clear to them.
Hmm... yes, not much argument from me. I personally don't process
wordless docs very well (I love Ikea, but HATE their instructions!!!)
However, TPTB decided that they wanted wordless docs so they didn't need
to provide multiple translations for this particular product. It really
is a fairly simple item to use, but it takes 10 times as long (or
longer) to design the wordless docs as it would have if we'd been able
to use words.
Just last week we had a laugh with a label that the marketing group came
back. The label for the supplies was supposed to indicate if it was for
an infant, a child, or an adult. The icons they used were similar to:
EVERYONE who looked at the label was confused (except the marketing
people, who thought it was brilliant). The general ideas were: use the
product laying down, use it running, or use it standing up. The sizes
of each icon were totally off in relationship to each other, so even
that wasn't a visual cue.
One of the other writers came up with these options for baby and child.
Once those were put with the adult icon, it made perfect sense to
everyone who looked at it.
CHILD: I can't find one of the child icon, except to say it's like the
adult except smaller and the arms stick out somewhat to the side.
The final suggestion was sent around, and EVERYONE could clearly get the
meaning of the icons now.
But it took us two days to do this on a 1-in by 6-in label.
-C
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