Re: Numbered list vs bulleted list

["Cramer, Kim" <kcramer -at- NCSLINK -dot- COM>]

From: Don Timmerman
> The editor had to leave the project for several days (business trip)
> and I am filling in because of the project deadline.  I contend that
> any list of action steps be numbered if those steps must be performed
> sequentially.  The DOE Standard Writer's Guide for Technical
> Procedures states the following, "Action step numbering identifies
> individual action steps and their sequence."

If a user could have problems if he or she failed to perform the steps
in order, then I would number them to indicate the appropriate order.

Saying that bullets are OK just because some other software docs use
them isn't a good reason to use them yourself for procedural steps.  Why
don't you conduct a brief user survey and find out if bullets would be
misunderstood by your audience?

*************
Kim Cramer
mailto:kcramer -at- ncslink -dot- com
Sr. Information Developer
NCS Education, Mesa AZ
*************


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