Do you use "will", not "should" for processes?

Last updated by Tiago Araújo [SSW] 7 months ago.See history

When explaining steps in a process. For example, for printing a file, make sure to say something "will" happen or is happening. This is especially important when describing your own software, because saying something "should" happen implies that it may or may not happen (there could be bugs!).

To print your document:

  1. Select File | Print. The Print dialog should now show
  2. Select the number of copies and click "Print". The file should now print

Figure: Bad example - Using "should" implies uncertainty

To print your document:

  1. Select File | Print. The Print dialog is shown
  2. Select the number of copies and click "Print". The file will now print

Good example - Using present or future tense implies confidence

This is not detected by SSW CodeAuditor because it picks up false positives.

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