Re: Repeating instructions

[Sharon Burton <sharonburton -at- EMAIL -dot- MSN -dot- COM>]

FWIW - I think you should make it 2 sets of procedures. It is easier to move
the reader through the task they are doing without the distractions of if
this, then that, otherwise, do something else... harder to follow and people
tend to make mistakes.

Unless printing costs are a factor. Then one sheet with both merged
together. Looks easier and costs less to print. If that is a big factor.

sharon

Sharon Burton
President of the Inland Empire chapter of the STC
Anthrobytes Consulting
Home of RoboNEWS(tm), the unofficial RoboHELP newsletter
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See www.sharonburton.com!

-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Sharman <sharman -at- WOWMEDIA -dot- COM>
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU <TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Date: Thursday, 24 September, 1998 2:20 PM
Subject: Repeating instructions


>I'm writing a set of procedures to tell an installer how to set up some
>equipment, which consists of two systems.  95% of the steps for the two
>systems are identical, but there are some differences.
>
>Should I...
>
>1) Give both sets of procedures in full.
>2) Give the first set of procedures in full.  Then say, "Do the second
>setup like the first with these changes ..."
>3) Give both sets of procedures in full, but flag somehow the items that
>differ.
>4) Combine them both into one set of procedures and every so often say,
>"For System A, do this.  For System B, do that."
>
>(The installer will be setting up one system right after another.  The
>procedures for one system takes up about a page and a half.)
>
>I've found, when I've been following instructions in situations like this,
>that solution #1 irks me because it makes me wonder what's different and
>what's the same.  I end up reading carefully things I already know how to
>do.  But another writer thinks it is clearer to repeat it all.
>
>Any opinions?
>
>
>
>
>Regards,
>     Philip Sharman
>     <sharman -at- wowmedia -dot- com>
>
>
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>
>


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