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>In a case like this, they get the
>benefit of having a "user brain"
>in the documentation and development
>process.
>>Mark...if you only know as much as your
>>readers already >know, what benefit do
>>they get from the documents...they
>>already know it.
I don't buy it, but this has been discussed on the list before.
There's a difference between knowing something inside and out while
seeing something from the user's perspective, and only knowing what user
knows. How can I do that? That's a skill to our field.
I can write about an application while having in-depth knowledge of the
application/technology and still remember to "remove the lid before
sticking the knife into the peanut butter".
Why must it be that we can only write for the user if we're as
uninformed as the user. I take the position that I can write better for
the user if I:
- know the insides of the application and can anticipate his
actions/problems before he experiences them, and
- know what he does in his job better than he does and therefore, can
give him insight into how he can do his job better
