Comments on: “What’s Next?” — A Nice Way to End Help Topics http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/28/whats-next-a-nice-way-to-end-help-topics/ Technical Communication Blog / Technical Writing Blog Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:43:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tom http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/28/whats-next-a-nice-way-to-end-help-topics/comment-page-1/#comment-132433 Tom Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:34:36 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=1640#comment-132433 Avi and Kai, thanks for your comments on this post. Avi and Kai, thanks for your comments on this post.

]]> By: Kai http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/28/whats-next-a-nice-way-to-end-help-topics/comment-page-1/#comment-132420 Kai Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:56:32 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=1640#comment-132420 This is a great way to sequence topics into larger procedures. Occasionally, you can even use something similar at the beginning of a topic, as in "Before you can go on to do X, be sure you've done this:". However, I've found these transitions work best in procedures where you can anticipate a reader's before and after somewhat reliably. When you're presenting more general information, a "see also" is more helpful. Also, such transitional information ("GlueText") may be problematic in topic-oriented authoring, see <a href="http://dita.xml.org/do-we-really-need-all-glue" rel="nofollow">Do we really neeed all that glue?"</a> mentioned in the previous post... :-) This is a great way to sequence topics into larger procedures. Occasionally, you can even use something similar at the beginning of a topic, as in “Before you can go on to do X, be sure you’ve done this:”.

However, I’ve found these transitions work best in procedures where you can anticipate a reader’s before and after somewhat reliably. When you’re presenting more general information, a “see also” is more helpful.

Also, such transitional information (“GlueText”) may be problematic in topic-oriented authoring, see Do we really neeed all that glue?” mentioned in the previous post… :-)

]]> By: avi http://www.idratherbewriting.com/2008/06/28/whats-next-a-nice-way-to-end-help-topics/comment-page-1/#comment-132406 avi Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:43:23 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=1640#comment-132406 A great idea :) avis last blog post..<a href="http://israblog.nana10.co.il/blogread.asp?blog=102337&blogcode=9446324" rel="nofollow">שני מדריכי חובה</a> A great idea :)

avis last blog post..שני מדריכי חובה

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