Illusion of linearity

Principle 1: Let users switch between macro and micro views:

However, part of the technique of documentation is to create the illusion of a linearity. Linear processes are easier to follow. Our brains are wired for linearity and have difficulty making sense of non-linear systems. As such, even if a process isn’t strictly linear, I look for ways to depict a linear map to simplify the task (assuming the linearity I portray doesn’t negatively mislead the user or distort the system).