RE: Never lead with a graphic

[Gause_Brian -at- emc -dot- com]

Rebecca,

Graphics allow you to infer relationships, but text explicitly specifies
them. For this reason, graphics are almost always secondary to text in
technical documentation. A graphic helps to support the point made in
the text. Text is primary; graphics are secondary.

And regarding your "bus map" example, I disagree. Your link to that map
is useless. What city is it? What part of town is that? When do the
busses arrive? How late do they run? See, the map is inconclusive. When
I'm standing at a busstop, I want to know 3 things, all of which carry
equal importance:

1) Where am I?
2) Which bus is my bus (which also explicitly covers the question "where
am I going")?
3) When does it arrive to pick me up?

If you tell me the 57 stops here at 3:45, then add that it will take me
to Packard's Corner, I don't need the map. Really, the map is
extraneous. All you need is a list of stops and times...the graphics are
nothing but pretty colors. If all you show me is the map (without the
table of times), I will be unable to catch the bus. Therefore the map
needs the table of times. If all you show me is the table of times
(which includes the names of stops), I can reach my stop on time. The
map simply specifies the stop locations in graphical form, rather than a
more lengthy and complex written explanation. A map without context is
useless. It is, therefore, secondary to text.

A bus map without the times tables is useless.
Bus time tables without a map can still get you home.

This demonstrates the primacy of text over graphics, and explains the
theory behind introducing all graphics with at least a single line of
text.

Honestly, after reading through this thread, I'd say your biggest issue
isn't about whether to place the graphic or the text first. What I see
is someone who asked for an opinion, then ignored about a dozen
responses that agreed with her boss, and who is still determined to do
it her own way. I mean, what's the point of asking for opinions if you
ignore everyone and refuse to change your opinion?

I wonder if you want the right answer, or your answer. Speaking as an
outside observer with no stake in this matter, I'd say you're looking
for a reason to justify your behavior rather than do what is best for
your audience.

So if you have a discussion about this, be prepared for your boss to see
this perspective, too.

Brian Gause





-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gause_brian=emc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gause_brian=emc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Rebecca Hopkins
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 2:16 PM
To: Tech Whirlers
Subject: RE: Never lead with a graphic

Sean,

Check out
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedFiles/Documents/Schedules_and_Maps/Bus/057ma
p.pdf

The heading says "(T) Route 57 Watertown Yard - Kenmore Station via
Newton Corner & Brighton Center". The words "bus" and "map" are never
used, although there is a map and bus icon. The words are unnecessary if
the graphics are understandable to your audience.

Of course, the document itself has to be in the right context - if you
found a printout of this map in a trash can in Nigeria, you'd have the
start of a novel, not a technical document.

I still have to figure out for myself it if goes to Packard's Corner,
although that may be in the text schedule - which the MBTA in its wisdom
has posted separately:
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedFiles/Documents/Schedules_and_Maps/Bus/route
057.pdf.
-----
Rebecca

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Sean Brierley" <sbrierley -at- Accu-Time -dot- com>
> I need to know it's a bus map first. Please introduce this line
drawing
> you are presenting to me.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Sean
> 
> ___________
> Sean Brierley
> Technical Writer
> www.accu-time.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+sbrierley=accu-time -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sbrierley=accu-time -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
On
> Behalf Of Rebecca Hopkins
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 4:34 PM
> To: Tech Whirlers
> Subject: Re: Never lead with a graphic
> 
> 
> John,
> 
> The graphic represents the functionality at a very basic level - the
big
> picture. The explanation is the detail the graphic does not express.
It
> is the most important thing, because it is the starting point. If they
> don't understand why they are being presented with the graphic, then
the
> graphic needs improvement, not the text.
> 
> This graphic is like a bus map. First you want to see the map that
shows
> where the bus goes, then you want to see the text schedule that lists
> when the bus stops at your location. If I tell you that the 57 stops
at
> here at 3:45, you'll say so what? If you see the map first, you'll
know
> that you can take the 57 to Packard's Corner - if that's where you
want
> to go, now you care when it stops here.
> 
> Does that make sense?<snip>
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