When I teach courses on editing, I devote about one-third of the sessions to editing instructions. True, there's always a demand for someone who can edit technical manuals or cookbooks, but my real reason is that working on instructions gets you into editorial shape. It hones your ability to keep readers and their needs always in mind, to weigh each word for accuracy, and to be sure that every sentence means what the writer intends. If ambiguous and inaccurate instructions were an issue only for jargon-jammed pamphlets on operating VCRs or assembling appliances from countries where English isn't the first language, we editors could excuse ourselves and go back to business as usual. But many writers and editors of basic instructional material seem to depend too much on the common sense and goodwill of their readers rather than the clarity of the writing.
Several practices are useful when editing instructions.
Here are some methods to make sure the answer is yes. Although other kinds of text and the editing of it usually proceed from line to line, instructions often do not. The editor has to juggle all these pieces. Here are some examples. I use a double-check system.