Re: Procedural Info.

[Jo Baer <jbaer -at- mailbox1 -dot- tcfbank -dot- com>]

If most of the steps differ for the two systems, I would write two separate
procedures, each under the appropriate heading.

If most of the steps are the same, I would use a format similar to the
following:

1. On the Optional Components screen:

    * For a Windows 95 system.....
            a. Click the Doohickey button
            b. Choose the Aunt Freddie option

    * For a Windows 2000 system
            a. Click the Renamed For No Reason button
            b. Choose either the Thingummy or the Whosit option, depending on
the barometric pressure

2. Proceed with next instruction ...

To me, this makes it clearer that you do one or the other procedures under step
one, but not both. If you use 1. For Win95... and 2. For Win2000..., it makes it
appear as if those are sequential steps. If you keep them both within the same
step but don't break them out as bulleted items or indented paragraphs or make
some other visual distinction, again it's not as clear that part of the step is
making a choice based on the system you're using. "Do the following,
depending..." doesn't tell me what I'm either using or trying to accomplish, as
does "On the Optional Components screen..."

Jo

--
Jo Baer
Senior Technical Writer
TCF National Bank
Minneapolis, Minnesota
jbaer -at- mailbox1 -dot- tcfbank -dot- com

If you can remain calm, you
just don't have all the facts.


Loraine Nazareth wrote:

> Hi,
> What's the best way to present procedural information where instructions
> depend on the type of software you are using?
>
> Example:
>
> 1. For a Windows 95 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>
> 2. For a Windows 2000 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>
> OR
>
> 1. For a Windows 95 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>    For a Windows 2000 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>
> OR
>
> 1. Do the following, depending on the system you are using:
>
>     For a Windows 95 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>     For a Windows 2000 system: On the Optional Components screen,...
>
> 2. ...
>
> Other suggestions?


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