Wikibooks:Instruction Creep

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

This page contains useful information about the Wikibooks project While this is not a listing of rules or policies, it contains information about an important Wikibooks process, custom etc. This page should be helpful to our users; please let us know if it is not.

Instruction creep occurs when instructions increase in size over time until they are unmanageable and overview becomes difficult. It originates from the assumption that people actually read instructions, and can result in complex policy explanations that people are even less likely to read.

The solution is to keep things simple. If users see a set of simple and easily read policies and guidelines they will be more inclined to read, and thus follow, them.

In particular:

• Keep rules (policies, guidelines and local manuals of style) simple and to the point. If elaboration is needed, do so in an essay.
• Additions or alterations to current rules should be as simple as possible.
• Wikibookians are allowed to use their own judgment. Every little detail doesn't need to be accounted for in policy or guideline documents.
• Rules should be pruned regularly.