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I'm writing a step-by-step employee guide for logging into a course management program. I need to demonstrate that one of the steps will differ depending on where the employee is logging in from.

To clarify, this is a written document which will be printed and distributed among employees, so a digital wizard or selection menu isn't an option.

I've come up with a few different options for displaying this information. Which one should I use to convey a choice between two options?

List both options as a single step

  1. Go to employee website.
  2. If using a personal work computer: Click 'BUTTON A'
    If using a shared computer: Click 'BUTTON B'

List both options as two steps

  1. Go to employee website.
  2. If using a personal work computer: Click 'BUTTON A'
  3. If using a shared computer: Click 'BUTTON B'

List both options as sub-bullets

  1. Go to employee website.
  2. Login with one of the following two methods.
    • If using a personal work computer: Click 'BUTTON A'
    • If using a shared computer: Click 'BUTTON B'
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3
  • Maybe a wizard?
    – Fernando
    Jul 27, 2017 at 19:25
  • @Fernando This is a written paper guide, so unfortunately that's not an option.
    – Stevoisiak
    Jul 27, 2017 at 19:27
  • Maybe you should edit to make it clear. I would use some arrows, but I'm not a designer lol
    – Fernando
    Jul 27, 2017 at 19:30

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5

"On the computer, go to the employee website. Click the button that best describes you and the computer you're using:"

On screen:

Shared v Own Computer

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3

If you're going to do this as text instructions, be fully grammatical about it. Here's how I'd revise your text:

  1. Visit the course-management site: http://example.com
  2. Pick the appropriate option, depending upon the type of computer you're using:
    • If you're using your own work computer, click My Work Computer.
    • If you're using a shared computer, click Shared Computer.

When you're numbering steps, it's important to number them sequentially. Your first and third examples do that. Your second example doesn't, because no matter how you lay it out, this is a two-step process, not a three-step one.

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  • 2
    +1 for mentioning the type of decision to be made in the preamble: "depending upon the type of computer you're using". Probably not essential in this specific case, but without telling someone roughly what they've got to decide between, they may stop at the first option "that seems to fit" and not notice a better-fitting option later on.
    – TripeHound
    Jul 28, 2017 at 12:35
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May be you can try above-mentioned design from UXfrom12 or you can try out these options. In the design shown below, I have used icons (just for representation, it can be replaced) for buttons.

or

Have an option of a radio button.

enter image description here

Hope this solves the problem.

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2
  • I do not have design control over the website, as it was created by the company.
    – Stevoisiak
    Jul 28, 2017 at 11:42
  • in that case, the second option works..?
    – NB4
    Jul 28, 2017 at 11:44

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