The Bullets Point

Technical documents which are jargan free, written in simple English, comprehensible even by low level English reader, has evolved many ways to disseminate information more directly than deciphering them from long winded sentences. One such evolution has been the use of bullet points in the documents. While the use of bullet points has immensely benefited the learner, it has also created a confused state, misconception, and problem for the technical writers as to how, where, and when to use the bullet points in the document.

The use of bullet points in the documents has been so spurious that writers have more likely decided to use them for any kind of information. Whether the information can be used in fragmented format as bullet points or not; that has not been a part of wise decisions. Writers sometimes forget that some information which can be better described in a proper sentence can not be used as bullet point. All that they want is to see more bullet points. Their understanding of using more bullet points is somehow an assumption to consider ‘more the bullet points, better the document’. In turn, more the bullet points; information is better understood.

The paradox is when a writer can not make a judgment whether to communicate information in bullet format or not, goes ahead and tries to make any or all information in bulleted formats. This is doing more harm than good. The obvious question comes in mind; what is the concept and principle behind creating bullet points in a document.

I got introduced with the concept of using bullet points in the documents when I became a part of the technical writing community and started authoring technical documents. Even though I was introduced to bullet points, I was not very comfortable using them in the documents but moreover made it a practice referring its usage as prescribed in the style guides.

My main referring style guide remain the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications (MSTP) at large but used some other Style Guides too, that were specific to the employer’s documentation requirement. These style guides only provide you the directions as to what items and how they should be used in the bullet. To be more precise, the steps to complete a task or procedure are used in the bulleted points either in itemized or numbered format. In short, bullet points define lists; however, not all lists should be defined by bullets. This can be tricky when you are not exposed to the concept and logic behind the usage.

After a few years of work as a technical author, I got the opportunity to be a reviewer and editor. My job as reviewer and editor was not only to correct the documents but provide even tips for the writers to improve the documents. It is the job of not only mending the documents but minding and mentoring the writers who work along with you or whose job you are reviewing. You need to provide answers for all what, when, where, why and how of the corrections made to the documents.

Even after my long odyssey with the technical publication, I realized – The Bullet Points are the bullets point for me and I hardly know them well. Then my journey began to explore, discover, invent and re-invent the bullet points. While I explored and gained some of the knowledge for better use of the bullet points I thought to share which can be useful. You can visit my next post on this.