Re: Question of clarity

[Tim Altom <taltom -at- SIMPLYWRITTEN -dot- COM>]

Here we believe in erring on the side of the angels. I'd restructure it, and
maybe use some formatting to make the meaning clearer. No matter which way
you insert the cue about the menu, it should be consistent with all other
uses throughout.

We find that this consistency is the true key, not the readability of any
particular passage. Users quickly tumble to a consistent usage, but will
stumble over even the best-thought-out single use. Note that we generally
make "Press Enter" a step. This is helpful for single source uses and it
enforces breakdown discipline.

1. Select Plant menu>Work with Whatever
2. Press Enter

1. From the Plant menu, select Work with Whatever
2. Press Enter

1. Select Work with Whatever from the Plant menu
2. Press Enter

Tim Altom
Simply Written, Inc.
Featuring FrameMaker and the Clustar Method(TM)
"Better communication is a service to mankind."
317.562.9298
http://www.simplywritten.com




>I am trying to figure out what's the best
>way to present a complex step (not that
>it's difficult, but I want the instruction to
>read clearly). Some might argue that this
>should be broken into two steps, but
>I need to try and keep it in one step.
>
>Here's the sentence:
>
>From the Plant Menu, select (13) for Work
>with Whatever, and press Enter.
>
>A co-worker suggested that I remove the
>second comma. I explained that I put it
>there to cue the user...to clearly separate
>the sub-actions that make up the step.
>
>Does anyone have some ideas on the
>readability one way or the other? TIA
>
>^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
>
>Melissa Morgan
>mmorgan -at- intrepid -dot- cdg-hargray -dot- com
>
>^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
>


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