Technical Writers’ Companion

▪Avoids confusion. The image looks exactly like the product.

▪Avoids errors.

▪Can be taken quickly just with a click of a button.

▪Creating the image doesn’t require any graphical expertise.

▪Can simplify and abstract what they show.

▪Can be created independently even if the software or particular functions are not available.

▪Can be translated.

▪Can be edited.

▪If the image is simplified and doesn’t attempt to look exactly like the real software, it won’t get outdated as soon as the design of the software or the look of the operating system change. Also, it’s completely platform-independent.

▪If the image is vector-based, it can be scaled to any size without looking blurry or pixelated.

▪If the image is included in SVG format into online documentation, the texts within the image are searchable.

Some screen capture tools can automatically or semi-automatically convert a real screenshot into a simplified one. Here, only the important elements within the image still look real. The rest consists of simple shapes that only roughly suggest what’s there.

Tip:
You can achieve the same effect also manually quite easily: In an image editor, add some filled rectangles or other shapes on top of all elements that you wish to simplify. For the colors of the shapes, best choose some colors from the original image. This usually produces a harmonious impression that's as close to reality as possible.

The next image shows an original screenshot:

When the original screenshot is converted into a SUI image, it may look like this:

Advantages:

▪The simplified image shows the full context, yet it avoids unnecessary detail.

▪Due to the simplification, it’s less likely that the image needs to be updated when there’s a new version of the software.

▪In case the image is fully simplified, it doesn’t need any translation.

Disadvantages:

▪The simplified image may not be immediately recognizable. Users must make some mental transfer, which needs time and energy.

▪Compared to the option of just showing the relevant section in a normal screenshot, the simplified image takes up more space.

Thus, SUI images are generally good for explaining concepts and workflows and for developing a mental model of the software. However, they can be poor for describing procedures, where it’s often important to show something in detail exactly as it looks on screen.