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Thanks to everyone who replied to my queries on describing menu
navigation. It appears that there are two camps on this.
The first camp approaches it step by step, which to me is probably too
much information in most cases, especially where the user is familiar
with Windows GUI conventions. Setting menu names and items in bold face
might be useful in this case. That would allow proficient users to scan
the instruction while novices would read more carefully.
The other camp approaches it from a shorthand approach of listing the
menu items in sequence, such as File>Open or something similar. It
seems to me this works as long as you've told the reader you're going to
use this convention for menu navigation, otherwise it's meaningless.
There's a right arrow character in Wingdings 3 that looks like the arrow
Win95 uses to show additional menu levels, so I think that would act as
an additional visual clue.
I'm going to stick with the latter method, since I'm working in an
environment where most of my readers are proficient with Windows.
Larry Blankenship
Systems Analyst
Program Management Office
Information Technologies
Mailstop Z-42
Ext. 26917
All opinions expressed are strictly my own and not shared or endorsed by
my employer.
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Thanks to everyone who replied to my queries on =
describing menu navigation. It appears that there are two camps =
on this. </FONT></P>
<BR>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The first camp approaches it step by step, which to =
me is probably too much information in most cases, especially where the =
user is familiar with Windows GUI conventions. Setting menu names =
and items in bold face might be useful in this case. That would =
allow proficient users to scan the instruction while novices would read =
more carefully.</FONT></P>
<BR>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The other camp approaches it from a shorthand =
approach of listing the menu items in sequence, such as File>Open or =
something similar. It seems to me this works as long as you've =
told the reader you're going to use this convention for menu =
navigation, otherwise it's meaningless. There's a right arrow =
character in Wingdings 3 that looks like the arrow Win95 uses to show =
additional menu levels, so I think that would act as an additional =
visual clue.</FONT></P>
<BR>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I'm going to stick with the latter method, since I'm =
working in an environment where most of my readers are proficient with =
Windows. </FONT></P>
<BR>
<P><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Larry Blankenship</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Systems Analyst</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Program Management Office</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Information Technologies</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Mailstop Z-42</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=3D2>Ext. 26917</FONT></B>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>All opinions expressed are strictly my own and not =
shared or endorsed by my employer.</FONT>
</P>
