Re: The End Of Technical Writing Was RE: Re: a different resume red flag

Subject: Re: The End Of Technical Writing Was RE: Re: a different resume red flag
From: eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 10:46:58 -0400


Dick Margulis wrote on 10/27/2004 10:20:55 AM:
> The key is mutual respect and cooperation.

Well said Dick. So many of the world's problems would evaporate if more
could understand the importance of that statement. Unfortunately, few
understand the concept of mutual respect. I've always wondered how anyone
can conceive of or rationalise any other kind respect when considering
relationships or colleagues. IMO one-way respect in a relationship or work
environment is subservience, not respect.

> So instead of the constant smug denigration of
> tool-users (don't forget that tool use has a lot
> to do with what defines us human), it might be
> more lucrative to drop the negative attitude and
> try to learn a little more about the _rest_ of the job.

I'd like to know the justification of the smug put-down of the list in the
light that the original poster and this thread has done absolutely nothing
to add to the discussion content that the original whine laments the lack
of. The list is here to discuss and share, not feed information to
lurkers. Want something different out of the list? Put something different
in.

Personally I don't discuss end-user analysis on-list because there's
little to discuss that any other list member is likely to find useful or
interesting. End-user task analysis is what we do in every moment of our
work. On one side we have a pile of equipment and related tasks and
descriptions, on the other we have the need to communicate all the
information to the users/customer. User needs and information types are
defined and fleshed out in guidelines and templates. After that each
writer continuously judges the importance of various information sources
and the best way to communicate that information (or whether it needs
communicating).

Whether we do end-user analysis well may be another point of discussion,
but how do the various lamenters propose we discuss it?

Seems to me that creating a mental image of the average user and writing
to that audience, changing emphasis whenever comments or clarifications
are received, seems to cover all the bases without wasting time and energy
in endless planning sessions. But, there are those who are content to
actually start producing work of value understanding that fonts and design
can change later, while others seem incapable of starting before the fonts
are chosen and the design is polished.

Eric L. Dunn
Senior Technical Writer

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Re: The End Of Technical Writing Was RE: Re: a different resume red flag: From: Dick Margulis

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