Define the decision
Choose the assembly question the diagram should answer: which layers are present, how a face attaches, which components remain in use or what must separate for a return enquiry. Define the reading order and label the complete construction. A decorative material image rarely gives enough information to support those decisions.
Build a usable record
Use clear labels linked to the component record, consistent symbols and a simple legend. Show coatings, adhesives, fixings and packaging where relevant to the chosen boundary. Pair the diagram with a text description or table that conveys the same essential relationships. Avoid relying solely on colour, tiny text or unexplained arrows.
Check the evidence boundary
Keep the drawing’s evidence status explicit. A conceptual exploded view is different from a measured technical drawing or an approved installation detail. Mark unknown components and dimensions rather than rendering them with false precision. Publication review should consider readability, text alternatives and whether the illustration implies unsupported structural or recovery claims.
Worked example — illustrative
In a fictional display diagram, numbered layers show a printed face, protective finish, attachment and retained frame. The text table names each layer and flags an unknown adhesive. A separation arrow is labelled as a proposed review question, not a confirmed dismantling instruction. Readers can understand the same information through the accompanying text.
Put the method into practice
Use the assembly passport to prepare the component inventory before drawing. Check the result with someone unfamiliar with the system and revise unclear relationships. Leaf’s current passport is a local evidence record, and concept images do not establish product compatibility, competent installation review or an actual end-of-use acceptance.
- Define the assembly question.
- Provide labels and text equivalents.
- Mark unknowns and concept status.
- Avoid unsupported technical precision.