Re[2]: Style and Brevity in steps

Subject: Re[2]: Style and Brevity in steps
From: Reinhard Jaehnig <jaehnig_reinhard_rej-d -at- BETASYSTEMS -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 15:34:59 UT

Kelly wrote

> We like to avoid using a lot of words and just show the user
> what they need to select. Here's how we would explain opening
> the Windows 95 Device Manager:

> To open the Windows 95 Device Manager, complete the following steps:

You could avoid using even more words by dropping "complete the
following steps" -- in the procedure intro.

To open the Windows 95 Device Manager:

seems to be a standard introduction for procedures these days.

> 1. Select Start>>Settings>>Control Panel.
> 2. Double-click on the System icon.
> 3. Click on the Device Manager tab in the System
> Properties dialog box that appears.

Step 3 is a very good example for inverting the sequence
of events as experienced by the user. I would change the
sequence:

2. Double-click on the System icon.

This will display the System Properties dialog box.

3. Click on the Device Manager tab.

Reinhard




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