B737-400 FLT CREW REPORTS CRACKED WINDSHIELD AT FL360 AND DIFFICULTIES USING QRH TO DETERMINE IF A DESCENT OR DIVERSION IS REQUIRED.

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AT FL360; APPROX 70 MI N OF DIW; FO'S #1 WINDOW STARTED ARCING. IMMEDIATELY REMOVED WINDOW HEAT. WINDOW THEN CRACKED. ACCESSED QRH AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT FROM ATC; DSNDED TO FL290 AND SLOWED ACFT. THE QRH INVOLVED A LENGTHY PAGE TO DETERMINE STATUS OF PROC. AT NIGHT; BUSY WITH TRYING TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO WINDOW. FLT PLAN WAS TO GO OVER WATER TO CUT THE CORNER TO DEST. WINDOW CRACKED AGAIN; AUDIBLE CRACKING SOUND. READ THROUGH ENTIRE PAGE OF QRH; ALL PROCS ON PAGE ONE OF QRH INVOLVED DSCNT AND CABIN DEPRESSURIZATION OR REDUCE CABIN PSI. ADVISED ATC WE MAY NEED LOWER ALT. WINDOW CRACKED AGAIN; AUDIBLE CRACKING SOUND. TURNED PAGE ON QRH AND 'OUTER-PANE CRACKED ONLY' CONTINUE FLT. DETERMINED THAT OUTER PANE ONLY WAS CRACKED; ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD STAY AT FL290. COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH THROUGH ACARS TO STAY CLOSER TO SHORE AND SLOWER AND LOWER ALT TO DEST; DISPATCH ADVISED US TO CONTINUE TO DEST. ATC WAS UPSET WITH OUR POSSIBLE REQUEST FOR LOWER THAT WE DID NOT DO; HOWEVER; WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE ATC AS MUCH LEAD TIME FOR ANY POSSIBLE NEED; SINCE THE WINDOW DAMAGE WAS NOT KNOWN AND CHANGING. THE QRH WAS COMPLICATED; AND THE PROC DID NOT HELP WITH A 'QUICK' ANSWER. IN FACT; THE ANSWER WAS ON THE 'NEXT PAGE' AND I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROC TO HELP THE CREW WITH A QUICK DETERMINATION OF THE PROC NEEDED. WE CONTINUED THE FLT; WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH APPROVAL; FOR REPAIR ON ARR. PLT OBSERVATION OF WINDOW ARCING; LOWER ALT; REDUCED AIRSPD; RERTE CLOSER TO COASTLINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BETTER QRH PROC; WITH THE 'WINDOW DAMAGE' OPTIONS LISTED AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE; WITH DIRECTIONS TO THE PROC FOR THE SPECIFIC CONDITION; IT WOULD HAVE HELPED US APPLY THE CORRECT PROC FASTER.