Summary -- Screen Capture Placement

[Barb Ostapina <Barb -dot- Ostapina -at- EXPERIAN -dot- COM>]

Thanks to one and all who commented on my query:
**********
...The article was about visual design and stated that screen captures
should appear after the instruction/text that references them, never
before. I certainly agree that they shouldn't appear *long* before the
instruction, but what's wrong with having the picture just before it? I'm
thinking it is helpful to the reader to see the screen before the
instruction so he'll know he's in the right place when he takes the action
specified in the instruction. Anybody have an opinion they'd care to share?

**********

I received a variety of opinions, ranging from I'm absolutely right to the
article is absolutely right. But the general consensus seemed to be that
text should appear, well... it depends. Both before and after. (Though one
person said this was not up for debate -- it should be a certain way and
that's that.)

What I've concluded is that it depends on the nature of the text. And the
most logical placement of the picture is wherever it makes sense in the
flow of instruction. So, for example, it might go like this...



     To customize shading or remove custom shading:

     1. Select the cells, rows, or columns that you want to customize and
     choose Table>Custom Ruling & Shading.

          [shot of Custom Ruling and Shading screen]

     2. Specify a fill percentage and color for the shading. Choose From
     Table to remove custom shading.

     3. To keep from inadvertently changing any ruling, turn off Custom
     Cell Ruling.

     4. Click Apply.



...where the picture comes after the text that describes what generates the
screen, but before the text that explains what to do on the screen.

[By the way, as an aside to Bruce Ashley, this example is on page 147 of
the "Adobe FrameMaker 5.5 User Guide." :-)]

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