Left vs Right
“Left-vs-Right” Micro-SOP (when you’re guiding someone’s screen remotely)
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Eliminate the “Where? – There!” ping-pong during screen-shares by giving every operator the same spatial language and micro-ritual. |
| Applies to | All live coaching, pair-programming, troubleshooting sessions (Google Meet, AnyDesk, Zoom, etc.). |
| Owner | The person giving instructions (“Navigator”). |
| Success Signal | The person sharing their screen (“Driver”) clicks the correct UI element on the first instruction. |
| Red-Flag Rule | If Driver’s cursor hesitates > 3 sec or moves the wrong way → STOP and re-run Step 1. |
5-Step Loop (“H-T-Q-P-G”)§
| # | Action | Navigator’s Script | Driver’s Micro-Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. HAND-CHECK | “Hands on the desk; wiggle left hand, wiggle right.” | Put both hands visibly on desk and wiggle. | |
| 2. TARGET CALL-OUT | “Look Top-Left (menu bar).” Always use [Vertical Position]-[Horizontal Position]: • Top-Left / Top-Right • Center-Left / Center-Right • Bottom-Left / Bottom-Right |
Move cursor to that quadrant, then wait. | |
| 3. QUALIFIER | “See the blue ‘New’ button?” (colour + shape + label) | Hover on the element; say “Got it.” | |
| 4. POSITION CONFIRM | “Perfect—don’t click yet.” (If wrong, loop back to Step 2.) | Keep cursor parked; no clicks. | |
| 5. GO | “Click it… good. Next target: ___.” | Execute click and verbally confirm. |
Mnemonic: H-T-Q-P-G → Hands, Target, Qualifier, Position confirm, Go.
Pro Tips§
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Large 4K monitor | Add “upper-third / lower-third” before the quadrant. |
| Long lists / code | Say “Scroll until you see …, stop.” — treat scrolling as its own target. |
| Multiple windows | Label them first: “Focus the Chrome window (left), then Center-Right.” |
| Recurring element | Give it a nickname once: “That purple button = ‘Launch’ for the rest of the call.” |
Quick Drill (1 minute)§
- Wiggle hands.
- Navigator: “Top-Right, orange gear icon.”
- Driver hovers gear icon.
- Navigator: “Great—click.”
- Swap roles and repeat × 2.
Do this at the start of the boot-camp call; it builds muscle-memory fast.
Why it matters§
- Speed: Cuts guidance time by 30-50 %.
- Clarity: Prevents misclicks that break stuff.
- Calm: Reduces frustration on both ends, especially with laggy screen-shares.
Use it until saying “Top-Left → blue +- button” feels as natural as “Turn left at the traffic-light.”