Re: A trip to IKEA

Subject: Re: A trip to IKEA
From: Ben Kovitz <bkovitz -at- nethere -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 07:12:36 -0700


Brad Jensen wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ben Kovitz" <bkovitz -at- nethere -dot- com>
> >Usually I'm thinking, "How can I get needed
> > information to an impatient and narrow-minded user?"
>
> That's funny, I read the help files and documentation with the
> attitude of
> "How can I find the information I need from this tight-lipped,
> example-poor writer who has made a cult of information
> abstraction and considers explanation a lesser art?"

Ha!! Thank you very much for posting this, Brad! It's so easy to get
caught up in the mentality of "just crank it out as quickly as
possible, just produce the barest minimum that meets the requirements,
that's what makes economic sense, that's all we're paying you for,
etc." As a user, I am continually thinking, "Damn it, just give me
one ****ing example and I'll understand!" And the whole reason I got
into technical writing was because I love to explain things. Hmm,
could it be that both we and the users are happier when we slow down
and do what we love to do?


Ben Kovitz
Author, Practical Software Requirements: A Manual of Content & Style
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1884777597
http://www.manning.com/Kovitz


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Are you using Doc-to-Help or ForeHelp? Switch to RoboHelp for Word for $249
or to RoboHelp Office for only $499. Get the PC Magazine five-star rated
Help authoring tool for less! Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr

Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by April 30. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


References:
A trip to IKEA: From: Ben Kovitz
Re: A trip to IKEA: From: Brad Jensen

Previous by Author: Re: diagrams
Next by Author: Re: Order of Magnitude
Previous by Thread: Re: A trip to IKEA
Next by Thread: RE: A trip to IKEA


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads