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Re: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR at the end?
Subject:Re: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR at the end? From:"Huber, Mike" <mrhuber -at- SOFTWARE -dot- ROCKWELL -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 28 Jul 1998 15:31:22 -0400
> From: Nickel, Joyce [mailto:jnickel -at- PAC -dot- BLUECROSS -dot- CA]
> Subject: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR at the end?
>
> I'm writing a user manual for beginners (not techies).
> I've included screen shots within the numbered steps. The idea is to
> include the illustration along with the instructions. The problem is
> that my list of five short steps now takes three pages. The
> effect of a
> numbered list is kinda lost between all the illustrations. An
> option is
> to put all the illustrations at the end of the list. I think
> this would
> look more organized, but personally, I hate flipping pages to follow
> instructions.
> I appreciate any thoughts on this from the tech writing gurus
> out there
Have you considered severely cropping the screen shots to only show the
important bits? Maybe use a full screen shot for the first step, to give
context, and then just the part the user is acting on.
I've become a big fan of the cropped shot lately. Focuses the reader on what
counts, save pages, and when the software changes, you may not have to redo
the graphics.
