Instructions
A table of contents is a fundamental part of every document. It aids a reader to navigate through the material for the relevant information he/she wishes to acquire. Learning how to generate an automated table of contents is a skill necessary for every person in modern society. We all find ourselves writing articles; be it an assignment, a project, a business plan, or even a proposal at work. The skill is particularly useful as it saves on time since the whole process is relatively automated. Furthermore, the entire process provides an accurate representation of the document because the generation originates from the contents in the report. A miss in the table of contents section displays an error in the corresponding part of the article.
In this paper, I shall describe the steps of generating an automatic table of contents using the Microsoft word program and provide a detailed account of the lessons learned. For this task, the instructions are for use on the Microsoft word 2014 and 2016 programs. Older versions may require minor adjustments; however, the general flow is still the same. The steps are as follows:
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After successfully typing the document, navigate to the top right corner of the Word user interface and click on the upward facing arrow-like symbol next to the minimize icon. Select ‘show tabs and commands’ under this option.
Next, select the ‘insert’ option on the command tab and navigate to the ‘page number’ option. Insert page numbers in the document at the desired location depending on the required format.
Go back to the ‘home’ option and highlight each and every heading in the document accordingly, i.e., highlight a heading then use the heading option to select in which category it suitably fits from the options heading 1 or 2, title or subtitle.
Create a blank page for the table by using the ‘insert’ option and selecting the blank page. The page should be created at the desired section for the table of contents.
Use the ‘references’ option and insert the table of contents. The cursor is at the left top corner. Select one of the automatic options available.
Cross check the formatting of the document to ensure all the arrangement is still in order.
Update the table of contents by clicking the ‘update table’ option next to the table of contents option under the ‘references’ command tab.
Finally, save the file. It is, however, important to save after each of the above steps to prevent data loss and facilitate undoing of any error made at each step.
Lessons Learned Report
MEMO
TO : <lecturer’s name>
FROM : <student name>
DATE : <insert date>
SUBJECT : Lessons Learned Report
From the task I undertook, the following are the lessons I learned:
Taking time and doing the actual task yourself is an important step that mitigates cases of missed levels and also serves as a personal confirmation that the instructions are comprehensive. Before writing the instructions, I took a few minutes and did the task and for each step. While doing this, I noted down short notes which served as a guide in writing the instructions. The caveat to this is that being familiar with the steps can lead to the instructor failing to note vital details for the task, which in my case was describing the selection of the headings section.
In steps that have more than one option, it is vital for the instructor to describe each of the options to enhance user autonomy by empowering the user to make informed choices for each of the steps. Steps with more than one option allow user variations, and it is adamant that the user be aware of the consequences of his/her actions.
When navigating a user through a clustered option of commands, it is essential to give a brief description of the icon and where it is located at the screen. I described the arrow-like symbol next to the minimize option in the Word user interface. This helped prevent the user from fumbling when in search of the icon since the description was clear. It also helps save time, a fundamental part of any instructions.
Usability Notes
The instructions were shared with the intended audience and feedback was noted down. The user identified the task to be cumbersome at first, but with the help of the instructions and several trials, he confirmed the function to be relatively easy provided the person be familiar with both the document and the guidelines. The user also reported that he was successfully able to complete the task solely based on the instructions. Furthermore, the user found the instructions clear, especially since some of the complex commands were noted on where they are located in the commands tab. For example, the arrow-like symbol next to the minimize icon in the top right corner of the user interface.
The user reported trouble in identifying which of the heading options best fitted each of the highlighted sections. He later confirmed that an understanding of the general paper is essential to navigate through the headings option successfully. The user suggested that the headings section needed some improvements, more so on how to determine which heading is appropriate at what section. The user found that part somehow unclear and more details, in the form of the different headings’ descriptions, would be ideal.
The lessons I learned as described above from the task are particularly useful in future assignments. For instance, when developing another set of instructions, undertaking the task before developing the guidelines is significant to prevent omission of steps. I, however, noted that familiarity is a caveat to developing instructions and it is advisable to always test the instructions before passing them onto the intended person. This allows for more unusual tuning of the details based on the testing feedback. Moreover, a brief description of available options allows the user to make informed choices. Instruction steps should be short and to the point. Lengthy phrases can confuse the user.
