Comments on: Quick Reference Guides Right Where You Need Them http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/ The Latest Trends in Technical Communication Sat, 26 May 2012 12:14:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Craig http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/comment-page-1/#comment-139354 Craig Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:25:05 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3325#comment-139354 Mike's comment about his jumper cables reminded me of how my dad taught me. His quick-and-dirty method was, once you fry yourself or the battery, you'll never forget again, therefore, there's no need to write anything down at all. The correct and safe connection method, as I remember it, is negative to ground, then positive to positive. My episodes were always serious enough to warrant negative to negative, and positive to positive connection. The "ground" referred to the good old days when bumpers were heavy chrome (not this lightweight plastic stuff)! Mike’s comment about his jumper cables reminded me of how my dad taught me. His quick-and-dirty method was, once you fry yourself or the battery, you’ll never forget again, therefore, there’s no need to write anything down at all. The correct and safe connection method, as I remember it, is negative to ground, then positive to positive. My episodes were always serious enough to warrant negative to negative, and positive to positive connection. The “ground” referred to the good old days when bumpers were heavy chrome (not this lightweight plastic stuff)!

]]> By: Richard L. Hamilton http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/comment-page-1/#comment-139284 Richard L. Hamilton Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:19:38 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3325#comment-139284 I have a programmable thermostat that has slot with the quick reference card built in. I'm not sure I would buy one without that feature now that I've seen how useful it is. I have a programmable thermostat that has slot with the quick reference card built in. I’m not sure I would buy one without that feature now that I’ve seen how useful it is.

]]> By: Tom http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/comment-page-1/#comment-139279 Tom Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:52:35 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3325#comment-139279 Mike, thanks for your comment. Attaching instructions on a laminated card on your cables and router is a great idea. I need to do something like that myself. Mike, thanks for your comment. Attaching instructions on a laminated card on your cables and router is a great idea. I need to do something like that myself.

]]> By: Sarah Maddox http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/comment-page-1/#comment-139261 Sarah Maddox Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:29:27 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3325#comment-139261 Awesome! It looks like it's got a nice teaser in that tab at the top too, tempting you to pull out the tab and discover the guide. I'm intrigued about the bright red marker near bottom right of the first picture. Perhaps it's a guide to using the magic flying Persian carpet that the chair is standing on ;) Awesome! It looks like it’s got a nice teaser in that tab at the top too, tempting you to pull out the tab and discover the guide.

I’m intrigued about the bright red marker near bottom right of the first picture. Perhaps it’s a guide to using the magic flying Persian carpet that the chair is standing on ;)

]]> By: mike http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/04/09/quick-reference-guides-right-where-you-need-them/comment-page-1/#comment-139260 mike Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:29:24 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=3325#comment-139260 Just-in-time instructions, sort of. More and more I've done this on an informal basis. For example, because I never could remember the order in which to attach jumper cables, I wrote out a small (business-card sized) set of instructions, laminated it, and tied it to the cables. On the back of my router I taped a scan out of the manual of what all the blikenlights mean. I just got a new camera and was intending (Real Soon Now) to make a micro-manual of the most common functions that I could keep close enough to the camera to be useful. I think there's a business opportunity to create small guides like this (wallet-sized, or no more than 3x5) for many common devices or tasks. Just-in-time instructions, sort of. More and more I’ve done this on an informal basis. For example, because I never could remember the order in which to attach jumper cables, I wrote out a small (business-card sized) set of instructions, laminated it, and tied it to the cables. On the back of my router I taped a scan out of the manual of what all the blikenlights mean. I just got a new camera and was intending (Real Soon Now) to make a micro-manual of the most common functions that I could keep close enough to the camera to be useful. I think there’s a business opportunity to create small guides like this (wallet-sized, or no more than 3×5) for many common devices or tasks.

]]>