RE: digital video in training

["Chris Morris" <cmorris -at- sfsu -dot- edu>]

Hi all!

Thanks John for your feedback. You wrote <I don't understand your question,
"how this technology effects your job as a professional writer.">

I think I need to be more specific about the type of information I'm looking
for, so here's a list:

- Is scripting for video documentation easier or more difficult than writing
for other mediums such as for print?

- According to one source, video documentation is more easily translated
into other languages: No translation of visuals needed, fewer words to
translate, lower reproduction cost. Are there other benefits that you are
aware of, either in translation or other areas of documentation?

- Assuming this is true, do you think a rise in the share of video
documentation will mean less work for translators, or if there's a shortage
of translators, will video documentation help existing translators meet the
demand? With the lower word count and spoken verses printed language, do you
think translation software is more reliable for video script than "for
print" text (my one source on translation software is outdated)?

- As I understand, video documentation is often preferred by technicians
(and perhaps some engineers) because it is highly visual. From your
experience with the types of people attracted to technical writing, how do
you think a greater predominance of video verses text documentation will
affect the opportunities for future technical writers? Do you think people
(possibly visual learners) otherwise inclined towards more visual fields,
such as graphic arts, may be inclined to become script writers?

- One of the advantage of video over still graphics for training is in the
ability to manipulate objects, especially user manipulation called Object
Panoramic [?]. How do these affect the style of communication you use?

- Can you pass along any such success or failure stories (anecdotal if you
like) of video documentation projects? Similarly, can you think of any
examples of printed docs that would have been more effective as video
presentations?

This list is but a sampling of questions; it is obviously not an exhaustive
list. I will appreciate anything you would like to contribute.

Regards,
Chris Morris
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-28532 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-28532 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Chris
Morris
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 6:45 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: digital video in training


Hi all!

If any of you have experience with script writing for videos (directly or
indirectly) of hardware training for assembly, repair, use, and design
feedback, I would greatly appreciate your ideas and stories on how this
technology effects your job as a professional writer. I am writing a white
paper on this subject for an audience of professional writers for a TPW
course. I have thorough information on the technical aspects of this topic,
but little from the audience perspective. I would also appreciate any
references to sources of information on this subject from this perspective.

Please reply directly to me; I will summarize your responses to the list.

Many thanks,

Chris Morris
P.O. Box 1315
El Granada, CA 94018
650-726-7545
Fax: 650-726-7797
E-mail: cmorris -at- sfsu -dot- edu