Area IX · Technical Communication Formats
Procedural Imperative Voice
Numbered, do-this steps
Cast procedures as numbered imperative steps, one action each.
Definition & mechanics
Procedures work best as numbered imperative steps: each step a single command in the imperative mood (“Click Save”), in the order performed, with any condition stated before its action (“If prompted, enter your password”). This removes the ambiguity of descriptive prose about what “should” or “would” happen.
A curiosity
“The user should then be able to save” describes a possibility. “Click Save” issues a command. Only one of them tells the reader what to do.
Example
Before (descriptive)The configuration would then be saved by the user, after which the service can be restarted, assuming the credentials have been entered.
After (procedural)1. Enter your credentials. 2. Click Save. 3. Restart the service.
Copy-ready prompt
Copyable Prompt
Apply the concept of Procedural Imperative (convert procedures into numbered steps in the imperative mood—one action per step, in performance order, with any condition stated before its action; remove descriptive “the user should/would” phrasing in favor of direct commands) to the provided text and rewrite in place. Apply the edits directly to the file as a clean, production-ready deliverable. Output ONLY the revised document text without embedding revision notes, changelogs, or meta-commentary in the file itself—put any explanations in your chat response only.