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Steve,
I'm curious why the other writer wants to change the approach? What
advantage does he think this will provide the user? I see a couple of
problems with the suggested change.
1. It creates the illusion that there are two processes, when there is
only one.
2. It creates a task that is entirely system focused and completely
fails to communicate the connection to the user's goal of reviewing the
payables.
3. It's bad.
Now, if the writer's goal is to communicate that there are multiple ways
of accessing the screen, that has value, but the implementation must
still make sense. Perhaps you could use some variation of:
To select a payable for review:
1. From the Voyager main menu, choose Payables,
then Review Payable OR choose the <a link="Using
workflows">workflow</a>.
The Payable selection screen opens.
Since the workflows are customized, I'm guessing you can't be too
specific? But you can link to the explanation of how workflows work.
Users have the information immediately at hand so they know there's an
alternative if they want to investigate, and experienced users are
reminded that they can use workflows. You've still only added four words
to your step, and you maintain it's correct relationship to the
procedure that will accomplish the user's goal.
Lisa
-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of Steve Shepard
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 12:31 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Menus and tasks
We were taking the same approach with the web-based application, but now
one of the writers thinks we should take the reference to the menu path
of the function from the task and make it a separate "task" ahead of the
main task. In my mind, we clutter the task intro with more information
and then offer an incomplete task. But, I am open to considering a
different approach. Any thoughts?
Example of how we do it now:
To select a payable for review:
1. From the Voyager main menu, choose Payables,
then Review Payable. The Payable selection screen opens.
His suggestion:
To locate the Payable Batch screen:
From the Voyager main menu, choose Payables, then
Review Payable. From the workflow menu under Payables,
choose Lookup. The Payable selection screen opens.
To select a payable for review:
1. Complete the selection screen to find the payables you
want to review.
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