With a visual index, you can improve your readers' access to your technical writing:
SUMMARY
People are mostly visual beings. They analyze the product and find a button or a monitor, for example. They're interested in learning more about the control or predictor. A Visual Index is an easy but effective document access tool that helps your readers locate the information they're looking for.
This article explains what a Visual Index is and how to make one for your paper.
AN EXAMPLE OF A VISUAL INDEX
A Visual Index is a representation of the product or process that includes links to the relevant information in the related text. Your readers may use a Visual Index to look at an image and easily skip to the section of your document that explains the item of interest.
There may be many Visual Indexes in your document (the plural of "index" is "indexes," not "indices").
BEGINS WITH A Picture
An image of your product or process is used to begin the Visual Index. Depending on the product, there are many different types of images to use:
* The Physical Good (for example, a barbecue or video disk recorder)
Pictures of the item (all relevant views).
* A Flowchart of the Steps and Decisions in a Procedure or Method: A flowchart of the steps and decisions in a procedure or process.
Screenshots of the program are included in the first software product.
* Software Product 2: Photographs of the product's function before and after it is completed.
* Organization: A diagram of the company's structure.
Mark THE IMAGERY
On the diagram, mark all of the User-Product Interaction Points (U-PIP). A U-PIP is any location where the User and the product communicate. Controls, screens, and other related physical features of the product are included in U-PIPs (such as handles, latches, etc.). Offer the U-PIP a meaningful (to your Reader) mark (name). (Use the same label any time you mention the U-PIP.)
Aside: If your product uses sounds to notify the user, include a table listing the sounds, their definitions, and a link to the related section of your text (describing the sound).
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INCLUDE THE U-PIPs IN YOUR Text.
The Visual Index is similar to any well-labeled image of your product or process up to this stage. When you have links in your text, the well-labeled image transforms into a Visual Index.
The relation should point to a section of your document where you think your reader would be most interested in learning more about that U-PIP. (Whenever you create an index, ask yourself, "Does my reader want to come to this place in my document for this item?")
The tool you use to add links to the image is defined by the document's publishing process. If the paper is written in the following format:
* For links in a printed text, use page numbers;
* Using hyperlinks in an electronic document so that a reader can follow along. The visual index can be a picture map if the document is published as HTML.
A PAIN IN MY FOOT, FOR EXAMPLE, 1
When I walk, I have pain in my foot. If I go to a website about feet, seeing an image of a foot with different places where the pain might be would be very helpful in determining the source of my pain. I'd be able to easily find out about my specific foot pain if there were links from the foot areas to specific websites.
EXAMPLE 2: Program FOR PHOTO CORRECTION
Show a diagram of the errors that your program can manage before and after they've been corrected. Each of the picture errors is represented by a U-PIP.
EXAMPLE 3: A COURSE IN USER DOCUMENTATION WRITING
The Visual Index is a flowchart that demonstrates how to create a User Guide. The Visual Index is generated from an image map, with hyperlinks to the parts of the Course related to each object in the flowchart, since the Course is presented in HTML.
A Visual Index is a clear idea. However, it is extremely strong, as are many basic concepts. Have one in your next paper if possible. You'll be doing a great service to your Reader.
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