Re: Really long procedures

Subject: Re: Really long procedures
From: Peg Ferraro <peg -at- CTHULHU -dot- CONTROL -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 1996 11:09:43 -0500

On Fri, 1 Nov 1996 geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA wrote:

> Even the longest procedures tend to break down naturally
> into "chunks" of intimately related steps. Probably the
> best approach for a really long procedure is to define
> these chunks, and use them as an outline for the smaller
> steps along the way to completing each chunk. This has an
> added advantage: the chunks make it easier for readers to
> get an overview of the process before they begin following
> the steps.

> How you number the steps is probably less crucial than the
> fact that you do number them
snip

I am in the process of writing a very long procedure this morning. I
decided to take a similar approach. I wrote an overall introduction to
the process and broke it up into four separate chunks.

I then used the four chunks as a series of connected procedures, each
numbered 1 to n. Each set of procedures also has a short introduction
connecting it to the previous set. It seems clearer to me and has got to be
less intimidating to my audience.

Peg Ferraro, peg -at- control -dot- com


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