RE: This too is technical communication

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

People seemed to get a little riled by the term "clueless idiot" so "play
dumb" was an attempt at a less harsh term.  I don't see a lot of difference
between "playing dumb" and asking a lot of questions to understand something
and being a "clueless idiot" and asking a lot of questions to understand
something.  There is a difference, though, in the idea that a person has
control over "playing dumb" because the person still has the status of being
not "dumb."  But being a "clueless idiot" changes the perception of the
person's status to something that is not in control of the person.  It's a
perceptual difference and not a real one, but I would rather identify with
something that I can control.

I did say that I like the approach of being a "clueless idiot" and I
interpreted that as "playing dumb."  It certainly isn't "playing smart." In
my information gathering sessions, I take the approach that I do not know
anything about the particular subject, not that I do not know anything.  I
get as much information as possible. I take less time in areas that I
understand and more time in areas that I do not understand.  I do try to
keep my mental slate rather clean because a process may have a familiar task
that is handled in a different way than what I understand.

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On 
> Behalf Of Mike Starr
> Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 2:00 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: This too is technical communication
> 
> Just to clarify here (since I'm the one who started this 
> "clueless idiot" 
> portion of the thread)...
> 
> I never PLAY dumb but I may ask an SME to explain things to 
> me as if I'm 
> completely ignorant of the underlying technology.
> 
> Mike
> --
> Mike Starr                            WriteStarr Information Services
> Technical Writer   -   Online Help Developer   -    Website developer
> Graphic Designer    -    Desktop Publisher   -       MS Office Expert
> Phone: (262) 694-1028 - Tollfree: (877) 892-1028 - Fax:(262) 697-6334
> Email: mike -at- writestarr -dot- com      -      Web: http://www.writestarr.com
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stuart Burnfield" <slb -at- westnet -dot- com -dot- au>
> To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 3:19 AM
> Subject: RE: This too is technical communication
> 
> > Lauren said:
> >> I don't understand why people keep confusing the process with the
> >> product. The process makes sense. Play dumb and get as much
> >> information as necessary. The product, a document, obviously, will
> >> not have all of that information, but it can be much more clear
> >> compared to a product that has limited information because the
> >> writer will have enough information to complete a cogent document.
> >
> > I don't understand where playing dumb comes into it. I know 
> some things
> > about the product and the users, I don't know others. I ask 
> questions to
> > find out the things that I need to know but don't.
> >
> > Before I interview an engineer or SME I do as much research 
> as I can so
> > that I can ask intelligent questions and understand the 
> answers. I want
> > the SMEs to feel that I respect their time so much that I 
> won't waste it
> > by asking unnecessary questions.
> >
> >> I am really confused as to why people keep saying that the
> >> documentation written from information gathered by somebody taking
> >> the stance of a clueless idiot will only apply to clueless idiots.
> >> The product is not the process. Of course, documentation will not
> >> be written for clueless idiots, but the stance of the writer in the
> >> information gathering process can be that of a clueless idiot. How
> >> did people get so lost and confuse the product with the process?
> >
> > The SME has a lot of information. Some of it I already 
> know, some I need
> > to know, some I don't need directly but may be useful as 
> background. I
> > need to use my TW skills to pass the useful info on to the 
> readers in a
> > clear and accessible format. No-one in this transaction is 
> an idiot or a
> > forklift driver--not the SME, not me, not the users.
> >
> > If the SME mentions RS485 connectors and it seems to be 
> important, I'm
> > not shy about asking what an RS485 connector is. I'm not 
> asking because
> > I'm playing dumb or because I feel dumb, I asking because 
> it's something
> > I need to know so that I can do my job.
> >
> > You say "the stance of the writer in the information 
> gathering process
> > can be that of a clueless idiot" but I don't see where this would be
> > better than just taking the stance of a busy TW asking 
> questions of a
> > busy SME.
> >
> > Stuart 
> 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> 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
> 
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
> 
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu -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/lt34%40csus.edu
> 
> 
> 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

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! 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.