: Re: When is a screenshot really useful in training documentation? Software products evolve more rapidly each day. Technical documentation for those products must also follow their evolution. One of

@Odierno164

I am just sharing the guidelines I work by. If required, we can discuss the reasoning behind these guidelines and may be even specific examples. (Say, for example, beyond maintainability and localization costs, yet another reason text is better for less-than-complex steps is search engine optimization.)

When to use screenshots?


You need the context of the UI to make a targeted point about how to accomplish a specific task.
It highlights an unusual interface choice or adds clarity and permits brevity of text, that is, it saves several descriptive sentences about options necessary to complete a procedure.
To refer to an unnamed UI element in a task, and the reader cannot easily identify or find it without a callout.
To highlight differences between two versions of the product, for example, old vs. new, or Mac vs. Windows.


When not to use screenshots?


To track the user’s progress through various screens encountered in a workflow.
Solely for the purpose of helping the reader locate easily identifiable UI elements. You can use an inline icon if you think there is a need for a graphic element to help the reader. For example, if the UI has a non-standard icon then place a 16x16 icon inline in the instructions asking user to click the icon. Also, situate the user on the UI using text like top-left corner, right side panel, left side bar, etc.
At the end of a step in a task, solely for showing a result of the step, unless the screenshot serves to provide reassurance to the user during a complex procedure.

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