Re: This too is technical communication

[Chris Borokowski <athloi -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

I've done both. My experience is thus, and feel free
to differ, because as much as it breaks my heart,
we're different people with different experience ;)

Whether at a small or a large company, the question to
me is this: how to get the tech writer integrated into
the team and fully knowledgable of the realities of
the product. The best way to do this is over the
lifecycle of the product. This involves getting
outside the WTFM outlook and into a concept of being a
"developer," or someone who moves the application from
concept to reality however must be done.

This in turn makes TWs more valuable to their
employer, helps them get data they would otherwise
have to interview out of squeamish SMEs, and makes the
TW/TC more of a profession than a role.


--- Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com> wrote:

> Waitaminutewaitaminute. Are you tech writing in a
> small company or 
> startup too? I mean, are you doing this stuff
> because there's no other 
> staff to do it, or because it is a natural range of
> things for tech 
> writers to do?
> 
> Chris Borokowski wrote:
> > I would add to this list. A technical writer
> should be
> > part of the development process, a pre-QA and
> > usability tester, and a reality check for the
> question
> > "Does this product address the needs of its
> users?"


User Interface design blog
http://user-advocacy.blogspot.com/
Code::Design::UI::Consulting
http://www.dionysius.com/


       
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