RE: Notes, tips, and warnings... oh my!

[Stephen McDermott <Stephen -dot- McDermott -at- PREMERA -dot- com>]

The use of warnings, notes, and cautions in some industries (i.e., anything
that a mistake costs lots of money in equipment repairs or hospital/funeral
services) are a liability issue.  It sounds like what you have seen in the
past is poor writing (or, in the case of a task with a lot of warnings and
cautions, a very dangerous procedure).  

I have written a lot of procedures that contained sign-offs for "critical"
steps, and I think the rule that I applied to signatures applies to the
other industries for notes, cautions, and warnings.  Specifically, the
overuse of signatures dilutes the importance of an individual signature
(both as objective evidence and to the reader). 

If it's not REALLY important, you can put it in the text.

Tips?  Why use tips at all?  If you're telling a person an easier way of
doing something, why not do it the first time, (e.g., teach the shortcut and
the full menu option at the same time).

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