Instructions & Documentation: Telling People How to Do Stuff Since the Dawn of Print and into the Digital Age

Instructions  Steps of how to complete a specific task (in a sequential step by step manner) or how to assemble a product.

Specifications  Written by engineers and technicians to describe in extreme detail how a product is assembled or how a routine task is completed.

Protocols  Written to ensure consistency and quality in workplaces. Often deal with emergency procedures, ensuring consistency in laboratory methods, or how to deal with potential problems in an office or academic setting.

Basic Genre Features  Specific and Precise Title  Introduction with Background Information  List of Materials, parts, tools, needed  Sequentially Ordered Steps  Graphics/Screenshots  Safety Information (may or may not be needed)  Conclusion that Signifies Completion of Task  Specific and Precise Title  Introduction with Background Information  List of Materials, parts, tools, needed  Sequentially Ordered Steps  Graphics/Screenshots  Safety Information (may or may not be needed)  Conclusion that Signifies Completion of Task

Introduction  Introduction expectations are located on page of your textbook.  Purpose  Importance of Task  Ability Needed  Experience Needed  Time Requirement  Motivation  Introduction expectations are located on page of your textbook.  Purpose  Importance of Task  Ability Needed  Experience Needed  Time Requirement  Motivation

 Put action up front; sentences usually begin with verbs 1.Choose a username and password. 2.Click the “Submit” button 3.Open the folder named “Files”  Put action up front; sentences usually begin with verbs 1.Choose a username and password. 2.Click the “Submit” button 3.Open the folder named “Files” Use Command Voice

Only One Action Per Number 1.Click on the link to the FTP application. Your computer’s file browser will open. Navigate to the file you want to upload and select “Open.” 1.Click on the link to the FTP application. Your computer’s file browser will open. 2. Navigate to the file you want to upload. 3. Select “Open” to begin the upload.

No Number if There is No Action 1.Enter the random letters (known as a CAPTCHA) to prove you’re a human being. 2.CAPTCHAs are used to protect the site from adbots and spambots signing up. They also stop bots from automatically downloading from a site. This, in some cases, may prove to be a security risk; in other cases, it’s merely an annoying drain on bandwith. 3. Next Step... 1.Enter the random letters (known as a CAPTCHA) to prove you’re a human being. 2.CAPTCHAs are used to protect the site from adbots and spambots signing up. They also stop bots from automatically downloading from a site. This, in some cases, may prove to be a security risk; in other cases, it’s merely an annoying drain on bandwith. 3. Next Step...

Keep Steps Short & Concise (visually offset explanations) 1.Enter the random letters (known as a CAPTCHA) to prove you’re a human being. CAPTCHAs are used to protect the site from adbots and spambots signing up. They also stop bots from automatically downloading from a site. This, in some cases, may prove to be a security risk; in other cases, it’s merely an annoying drain on bandwith. 2. Next Step... 1.Enter the random letters (known as a CAPTCHA) to prove you’re a human being. CAPTCHAs are used to protect the site from adbots and spambots signing up. They also stop bots from automatically downloading from a site. This, in some cases, may prove to be a security risk; in other cases, it’s merely an annoying drain on bandwith. 2. Next Step...

PoorBetter Register UsageLinking with Registers Administrating Authorization Authorizing Access to Data The Dial-Up FunctionDialing Up the Computer Session InitializationInitializing a Session Using Define Font Window Defining a Font Understanding Hardware Requirements Hardware Requirements Use Precise Headings

Renumber with New Sections How to Sign-Up How to Set Up Profile How to Sign-Up How to Set Up Profile How to Sign-Up How to Set Up Profile

Write to a Person  Poor  The system should not be shut down during processing. If such a shutdown occurs, the system should be restarted with the START RECOVER command.  Better  If you shut down the system during processing, you might lose data. Use the START RECOVER command to restart the system and recover any data from the log.  Poor  The system should not be shut down during processing. If such a shutdown occurs, the system should be restarted with the START RECOVER command.  Better  If you shut down the system during processing, you might lose data. Use the START RECOVER command to restart the system and recover any data from the log.

Conditional Statements Up Front  Poor  Register your computer as a client if you are not yet registered on the LAN.  In the Number field, specify your12-digit serial number if your product is not yet registered.  Better  If you are not registered on the LAN, register your computer a s a client.  If your software is not yet registered, in the NUMBER field, specify your 12-digit serial number.  This is the only time your steps will not begin with an action verb  Poor  Register your computer as a client if you are not yet registered on the LAN.  In the Number field, specify your12-digit serial number if your product is not yet registered.  Better  If you are not registered on the LAN, register your computer a s a client.  If your software is not yet registered, in the NUMBER field, specify your 12-digit serial number.  This is the only time your steps will not begin with an action verb

Make Reasoning for Each Step Clear  Poor  Press the “Sync” button on the back of the Wii Remote and hold it down for at least 3 seconds.  Better  Hold the “Sync” button on the back of the Wii remote for at least 3 seconds. This long press will alert the hardware that you are trying to add a new remote for play.  But Don’t Go Overboard  Navigate to Nintendo.com because that’s the URL where Nintendo’s site is located.  Poor  Press the “Sync” button on the back of the Wii Remote and hold it down for at least 3 seconds.  Better  Hold the “Sync” button on the back of the Wii remote for at least 3 seconds. This long press will alert the hardware that you are trying to add a new remote for play.  But Don’t Go Overboard  Navigate to Nintendo.com because that’s the URL where Nintendo’s site is located.

Provide Skippable Pathways Poor Example 1.Select one of the choices  If you are a new user, click Register.  If you registered before, click I Have an Account. 2.Complete the fields on the form  If you are a new user, the form requires a credit card number.  If you are a returning user, specify your password Poor Example 1.Select one of the choices  If you are a new user, click Register.  If you registered before, click I Have an Account. 2.Complete the fields on the form  If you are a new user, the form requires a credit card number.  If you are a returning user, specify your password

Provide Skippable Pathways Better Example 1.If you are a new user, set up an account: 1. Click Register. 2. Specify your credit card number and a name and password for your account 2.Click, I Have an Account 1.Enter Your Password Better Example 1.If you are a new user, set up an account: 1. Click Register. 2. Specify your credit card number and a name and password for your account 2.Click, I Have an Account 1.Enter Your Password

 Help orient a reader to make sure they’re on the right screen (especially after performing an action that takes you to an entirely new looking screen)  Point out relevant areas of the screen that might be hidden, poorly placed, or are of high importance  Show an icon or button that is difficult to describe because of appearance or placement  Pics should be labeled as “Figures” with numbers (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) and be referred to in the instructions steps or notes  Help orient a reader to make sure they’re on the right screen (especially after performing an action that takes you to an entirely new looking screen)  Point out relevant areas of the screen that might be hidden, poorly placed, or are of high importance  Show an icon or button that is difficult to describe because of appearance or placement  Pics should be labeled as “Figures” with numbers (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) and be referred to in the instructions steps or notes Screenshots

 Anticipate confusion or oddities  Show alternate ways of accomplishing the same task if they exist  Updating a Facebook status can be done from the feed or from the timeline  Style and Layout are of fundamental importance to an instruction set’s use value. That’s why your project is relatively simple: I will be looking for dynamic and usable layout.  Anticipate confusion or oddities  Show alternate ways of accomplishing the same task if they exist  Updating a Facebook status can be done from the feed or from the timeline  Style and Layout are of fundamental importance to an instruction set’s use value. That’s why your project is relatively simple: I will be looking for dynamic and usable layout. Final Considerations