RE: Information Engineers

["Kimberly McClintock" <kimberly -dot- mcclintock -at- openlogic -dot- com>]

For the record, I would have caught the glass melting typo

~Now,  you probably don't need an engineering degree to know
~that 4000 C would melt glass, but they also probably don't
~teach that in the English Lit program.

because I read widely, and I'm thoughtful. In other words, because of
what I bring to the task, rather than my training (MFA in Creative
Writing. Poetry, since you asked. I use it EVERY DAY.).

Kimberly



~-----Original Message-----
~From:
techwr-l-bounces+kimberly -dot- mcclintock=openlogic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kimberly -dot- mcclintock=openlogic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr
-
~l.com] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
~Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 10:57 AM
~To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~Subject: Re: Information Engineers
~
~I don't think that most engineers have any expectation that the
~tech writer - even one with an engineering background - is
~going to understand the tech behind their work as well as they
~do.  But they're mightily impressed when the writer understands
~it better than they expect you will.
~
~Anecdote:  in that first documentation job I had, the system
~being documented was an automated substrate processor for
~flat panel display glass.  The first time I received an engineer's
~input, I saw that he had noted that the system preheated glass
~to 4000C.  I asked him if this might be a typo, because wouldn't
~glass melt at that temp?  Was it supposed to be 400C?  His
~immediate comment back to me was "the last guy we had in
~your place wouldn't have known that."
~
~Now,  you probably don't need an engineering degree to know
~that 4000 C would melt glass, but they also probably don't
~teach that in the English Lit program.
~
~Gene Kim-Eng
~
~
~----- Original Message -----
~From: "Mary Arrotti" <mary_arrotti -at- yahoo -dot- com>
~
~
~>   It may not be the norm but I've known liberal arts writers with
more
~technical understanding of a specific product than their CompSci writer
~counterparts. Part of this related to how much effort each writer put
into
~learning new technology.
~>
~>   But there are few writers - even with advanced degrees - who can
match
~the technical or business knowledge of their SMEs - particularly
concerning
~what the SME has created or spends 100% of their time working on. If
you
~want to be considered on par or a valuable team player - a technical
writer
~usually has to demonstrate superior writing/doc skills when compared to
~other team members. Producing inaccurate or poorly written docs doesn't
do
~this.
~>
~>   I've known writers who wrote less clearly & effectively than their
~SMEs - what kind of value were they providing? What kind of job
security
~did
~they have?
~>
~>   There are writers who position themselves as helpers to the SME -
who
~basically say "It's not worth it for you to spend your time on this - I
can
~produce the docs since you have more important work."
~>
~>   I think of my role as more like "This is my area of expertise - I
can
~produce the docs more effectively than anyone else." Admittedly that
sounds
~a little obnoxious but trying to support this statement pushes me to
~continually work on my skills - both technical & writing.
~>
~>
~> John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
~>   I only believe it can be an either/or situation because where the
~> writer comes from will have an impct on it. If the tech writer comes
~> from an English or Journalism background, their writing skills will
~> probably be stronger than their technical skills. OTOH, if the writer
~> comes from an IT background, their technical ability will probably be
~> stronger than their writing ability.
~>
~> Take two people; one with a masters in literature and one with a
~> masters in compsci. Don't you expect two different strengths?
~>
~>
~> ---------------------------------
~> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
~>  Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.
~> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
~>
~> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file
formats or
~> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista &
2007
~> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
~> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
~>
~> Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New
editor,
~> full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
~> to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
~>
~> ---
~> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as techwr -at- genek -dot- com -dot- 
~>
~> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
~> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~> or visit
~http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/techwr%40genek.com
~>
~>
~> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~>
~> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
~> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
~
~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
~
~Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or
~printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista &
2007
~Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
~http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
~
~Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
~full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
~to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
~
~---
~You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as
~kimberly -dot- mcclintock -at- openlogic -dot- com -dot- 
~
~To unsubscribe send a blank email to
~techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-
~l/kimberly.mcclintock%40openlogic.com
~
~
~To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
~
~Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
~http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.