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I've just started working as a tech writer, creating online help for
proprietary apps. Like Richard, I have no formal training, and just a little
experience as one of the many things I did at a dotcom.
Amazingly, I've received functional specs for all of the projects I'm
supposed to be working on--5 so far! Unfortunately, I've found them to be
only moderately helpful, and mostly for definitions of terms in the app as
opposed to functionality. And I haven't had much luck interviewing the
Project Manager or engineers for an overall explanation--they say "Read the
spec."
Most of what I find myself doing is testing, writing about it when things
work, and filing bug reports or pestering the PM or QA guys with _very_
specific questions when they don't.
Working in this mode, I find it very hard to create a project schedule or
estimate how long anything is going to take. Does anybody have any tips on
that?
Thanks,
Rosemary
-----Original Message-----
From: Kane, Beth [mailto:Beth -dot- Kane -at- ncslearn -dot- com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 3:51 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Tech Writing Question
Hi Richard-san,
Coming out of lurk mode for this...I've been a tech writer for 11 years, and
I've never seen a spec (functional specifications). However, I hear that is
the way it is _supposed_ to work. I've just worked for loosely-structured
engineering departments. Ask your developers if they have any specs, and you
might find them helpful. BUT I've done just fine by using/testing the
application to be documented myself, plus interviewing the engineers about
any questions I have about the app. You have to do that anyway -- the specs
won't be enough. You have to put yourself in the users' place. You can also
get help/explanations from the QA test dept., if the engineers are too busy.
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