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Chris - can you clarify what you mean when you say "user-advocate,
design-centric viewpoint".
I presume you are referring to the 'non-writing' parts of being a technical
writer, the times when you sit with the developers and annoy and hassle them
because the "user wouldn't do it like that"?
It's funny reading these emails, as I've always presumed that the role of
technical writing isn't really about 'writing' all that much (these days)
and is why I've pushed to change job and team titles away from "writing" or
"publications" to "communications". It's a small thing, but I think it
breaks the "document monkeys" label a lot of people still have in their
heads.
Gordon
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Chris Borokowski
Sent: 03 April 2007 17:22
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Tech Writing a Growing Field?
Great post. I have a few ideas to add for consideration.
As IT has grown, the need for documentation outside of a relatively small
group of experts has proliferated, and we can no longer count on IT users to
have come through a relatively homogenous, small skillset.
People are coming at the field from all over the spectrum of knowledge, and
it's often unwise to assume they have some common basis in a computer
science curriculum.
I second your suggestion that TWs learn analytical skills. To it, I'd add
two things. They should get a good general background in IT, from OS to
networking and basic programming, and also should acquire a familiarity with
the larger discipline of user advocacy, UI design, and that amorphous
science of adapting technology to practical needs (it used to be called
"applied design").
I have seen too many user guides/manuals, product information sheets, and
online help systems that have no idea how people use the product, and how to
separate granular information from theory statements.
Most of them are excessively wordy and not effective, and many more are
vague or introduce concepts required for context barely at all. The goal for
TWs in the coming decades will be growing out of the "Get a description on
paper" mode and getting into a user-advocate, design-centric viewpoint.
> After moving to goal-oriented structured documentation and XML in my
> last company, I noticed that some writers did not have the analytical
> skills required to design goal oriented documentation beyond the
> mechanics of the UI. They had to acquire domain knowledge of the
> product and have a deeper understanding of the outputs the customers
> generated with the product. The product was just a means to an
> end: accomplishing customer goals.
>
> If I were to make one suggestion to career-oriented writers now: learn
> the mechanics of technical writing, sure, but focus on your desired
> domain expertise. Having domain expertise in one or more areas will
> readily separate you from the greater number of wordsmiths.
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