Full Head
Great Technical Writing: User Document titles should be signposts, no advertising
SUMMARY
Most items are designed to appeal to read more. Titles in user documents should enable the reader to decide whether to continue with the reading of that section. Use effective titles to make it easier for your reader access and understanding of the user document.
MORE HEADLINES focus on getting the reader READ MORE
Usually, these items provide enough information or the clever use of text tease the reader to continue. Many authors incorrectly user documents do same. Users do not want to read the user manual, and should only be encouraged to read the text if it is relevant to them. They should not be teased into reading irrelevant material.
Here are some examples of teaser-rate items:
* "TIP"
The reader does not know if the tip is relevant or not, and therefore forced to read the text to make a decision.
* "The games may discourage reading"
A teaser if ever there was one. Since it involves a contradiction, its goal is to get the reader to read. If it is important for all readers to read this information, then you have misled your readers.
Instead of mocking the titles are:
* Allow your reader to decide whether or not to read the text, or
* Provide enough information for the reader you can skip the text
The titles will help your reader to decide whether or not to read ON
A good title makes the information that the reader has to decide whether to read the text that follows. Do not use any clever text to entice the reader to read unnecessary material.
We will improve on the previous "teaser" for example:
* "TIP: Use word processing styles"
The reader may skip this if he / she is already using styles to format the word processor documents.
* "The games can provide enough information to deter the reading"
If the reader understands what this means, then he / she may skip the material.
Title can provide sufficient information to deter READING
A good example is the step by step instruction. Titles should be part of any series (step) instructions. Each title tells the reader what he / she will to do the following steps instructions. The reader may choose to read or skip the text, based on the title and his / her capabilities. For example:
Delete the file CONFIG.STP following these steps:
1. ...
2. ...
3. ... etc
A reader who knows how to find and delete the file may use the information CONFIG.STP in the title only to perform the desired task. A reader who does not know how to carry out the removal will follow the detailed steps.
In this situation, the title helps the reader to self-select based on his / skills.
DESCRIPTIVE TITLES provide good access TEXT
Descriptive Titles (Which accurately describes the following text) allow readers to find desired information on the page. When skimming a page, readers focus on titles. It is much easier to navigate through the items to see the text.
Some useful ONLINE
--- No information Blend between the lines
All information that follows a title - until the next heading - should relate to the title that contains the text. Do not add information irrelevant to the title in the following text for that item. Doing so makes it more difficult for the reader to find material on the user's document, and confuses your reader reading the text ("Why is this here?").
If necessary, add additional titles.
--- Consider the use of more titles in their writing
With more titles, you get the following benefits:
* There will be more "white space" in the document. These white areas within their writing more attractive and easier to read.
* The guides offer more information. Additional guidance that the items easier to find in his writing, and sets the tone for the text to follow.
Headers should highlight the text ---
To make headings bigger, bolder, departed from the plain text in the document. This will allow your reader to easily find and use the titles. If you have no control the source of the title, put in capital letters.
--- Denote titles with the word processor "Styles."
Use your processor word "styles" or equivalent to denote headings. The alternative is to manually format the headings to make them stand out.
By use of "styles," all titles of a certain level will look the same, you can easily change the appearance of all titles at once, and can easily create tables of contents.
IN BRIEF
Users do not want to read the user documentation. Using titles that help the reader to decide whether or not to read what follows, it is his / her reading experience more effective.
The titles are a great access mechanism scope for any kind of writing - not to waste this power.
About the Author
Barry Millman, Ph.D., has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (1966, Carnegie Institute of Technology) and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Psychology (Human Information Processing, University of Calgary). He has been a consultant for over 25 years, an instructor, course developer, and award-winning speaker. For the past seven years he has been researching and creating resources to help organizations create great User Documents.
Visit: http://www.greatuserdocs.com/ for resources to help you create the User Documents that your Product needs and your Users deserve.
Visit http://www.greatuserdocs.com/ReadingRoom.htm for more articles like this one.
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