Re: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options

[Donna McManus <donna -dot- mcmanus -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Mark, three cheers for this response! As my kids would say, I *heart* it.

If we're serious in our support of readers/users/consumers, simplicity is
always best. I've always hated the idea of having to insert alternative
procedures. It just doesn't make sense, particularly for the audience to
whom I'm writing: guys on a factory line, using a piece of equipment or
software, to put identification on parts from the production line. I'm
writing "how-to" procedures.

This is a lesson I'm taking away from the situation that prompted this
question--Occam's Razor. If there are one or more equally valid methods of
doing something, choose the least complicated.

The zen of TW :)

Donna



On Thu, Sep 8, 2011 at 4:29 PM, Mark Baker <mbaker -at- analecta -dot- com> wrote:

> My opinion is that you should never present more than one equivalent method
> of accomplishing something in a procedure. If someone is reading a
> step-by-step procedure it is because they want to get a specific task done.
> One method will suffice for this purpose; offering an alternative is just a
> distraction.
>
> A person who is sufficiently unfamiliar with the product to require
> instruction of this kind does not need the extra chore of choosing between
> two alternative, especially when there is no guidance provided on why to
> choose one option over the other. Make their life simpler: choose for them.
> If a person uses the application often, they will learn that there are
> alternate ways of doing things. If they don't use it often, they don't care
> that there are alternate ways of doing things.
>
> A good topic should do one thing. Putting alternative methods into a
> procedure is an attempt to teach the interface to a user who is just trying
> to get a job done. For users who want to learn the interface, write a topic
> on how the interface works.
>
> But if you absolutely must state the alternatives, the first form is both
> clearer and more conventional.
>
> Mark
>
> ---
> Mark Baker
>
> * Every Page is Page One *
> http://everypageispageone.com
> http://twitter.com/mbakeranalecta
> http://about.me/mark.baker
>
> > To open a menu:
> > - Press Alt+the key for the underlined letter in the menu name
> >     -or-
> > - Use the LEFT ARROW key or the RIGHT ARROW key to move to
> > another menu
> >
> > I'm more of the mind to write the procedure as:
> >
> > Use one of two methods to open a menu:
> > - Press Alt+the key for the underlined letter in the menu name
> > - Use the LEFT ARROW key or the RIGHT ARROW key to move to
> > another menu
>
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat