RE: Technical Documentation solutions?

Subject: RE: Technical Documentation solutions?
From: "Miller, Alan" <Alan -dot- Miller -at- prometric -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 09:02:25 -0400


Andrew Plato wrote:

"And since most engineers could care less about documentation...well the odds are against you."

I have a chance to disagree with Andrew. <G> Engineers care very much about documentation, they couldn't keep their licenses if they didn't. Tour a construction site, a factory floor, or your state highway department. You'll see masses of documentation; materials schedules, welding diagrams, simplified schematics, controls diagrams, isometric diagrams, assembly prints and instructions, electrical wiring diagrams, piping diagrams, codes and standards, test procedures, data sheets, receipt inspections, and procedures, procedures, procedures. And guess who created, signed, and certified every print, diagram, and procedure? Yep, an engineer.

I agree with you if by "engineers" you mean software developers/engineers who may or may not be degreed engineers and are not licensed; and by "documentation" you mean user guides/manuals. But these are a fraction of the profession of engineers. (And some would argue that these are not truly "engineers.")

Al "formerly Senior Engineer" Miller
"Chief Documentation Curmudgeon"
Prometric, Inc., a Thomson Corporation business
Baltimore, Maryland

In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take.
-- Adlai Stevenson

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