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Re: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR at the end?
Subject:Re: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR at the end? From:Katherin King <kking -at- BROOKTROUT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 28 Jul 1998 15:41:20 -0400
Although I understand that it may seem silly to have just one or two
numbered items on a page with a graphic, I think graphics belong within
the instructions, not at the end. Beginners in particular need the
immediate connection between what they are reading and the graphic that
illustrates the text. It's frustrating to sit with one finger on the
text page, another finger on the graphics page, flipping between the
two.
Kathy Stanzler
Technical Writer
Brooktrout Technology Inc.
Southborough, MA
(508) 786-9182
kking -at- brooktrout -dot- com
-----Original Message-----
From: Nickel, Joyce [mailto:jnickel -at- PAC -dot- BLUECROSS -dot- CA]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 1998 1:40 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Screen shots within numbered steps, OR
at the end?
I'm writing a user manual for beginners (not techies).
I've included screen shots within the numbered steps.
The idea is to
include the illustration along with the instructions.
The problem is
that my list of five short steps now takes three pages.
The effect of a
numbered list is kinda lost between all the
illustrations. An option is
to put all the illustrations at the end of the list. I
think this would
look more organized, but personally, I hate flipping
pages to follow
instructions.
I appreciate any thoughts on this from the tech writing
gurus out there
. . .
Joyce Nickel, Documentation Manager, Pacific Blue Cross,
Burnaby, BC
Jnickel -at- pac -dot- bluecross -dot- ca