TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Never lead with a graphic From:Dossy Shiobara <dossy -at- panoptic -dot- com> To:Tech Whirlers <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:00:14 -0400
Rebecca Hopkins wrote:
> My new boss tells me that I should never begin a section with a graphic; the explanation of the graphic must precede the graphic.
>
> This makes no sense to me - if the graphic is the important thing you want the reader to look at, it should go first. The explanation makes more sense to the reader if he has already looked at the graphic; in fact, the explanation has no meaning without the graphic.
>
> Is this some industry standard? Can someone explain why?
>
> I might go for this if the explanation and the graphic were on the same page, but it's a full-page graphic. (And no, I can't put the graphic on the left-hand page like I learned in school, back in the bound-volume days - we're strictly PDF.)
Didn't you get the memo? Due to inflation and depreciation, a picture
is now only worth approximately 183 words. You'll have to make up the
other 817 words in preceeding text.
...
More seriously, I would argue that if your graphic isn't sufficiently
clear or useful that it can stand alone without the explanatory text
preceeding it, then you should either strike or revise the graphic, not
add perfume to it by adding the text before it.
--
Dossy Shiobara | dossy -at- panoptic -dot- com | http://dossy.org/
Panoptic Computer Network | http://panoptic.com/
"He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
