Re: This too is technical communication

Subject: Re: This too is technical communication
From: "Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
To: "Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 14:24:13 -0700

In most of the pubs teams I have managed, writers "knew" things
because they had done them previously, either as developers, field/
customer service reps or just users. This knowledge was what made
the difference between someone we hired as a senior level writer and
someone we hired (if at all) as a lower-level associate/junior writer.
There are, of course, lots of companies that are content to have their
developers shove content at their writers and just have the writers
edit and format it. And yes, there have been occaisions when we
needed to produce documentation for something that nobody had
any expertise in and we needed to get trained before we could do
the work. For an interviewee, "knowing how to find out" may be
an acceptable substitute for just "knowing."

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message -----
From: "Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>
> Knowing a user still requires some process to get from not knowing to
> learning and then to knowing. Technical writers are not born "knowing."
> How could it be possible that an interviewee would "know" the new situation?
> What is that person's learning process? I would be concerned with somebody
> that came in saying they know everything when they are new. Wouldn't that
> attitude present the risk that the person may assume too much?

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

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.


References:
RE: This too is technical communication: From: Lauren

Previous by Author: Re: This too is technical communication
Next by Author: Re: This is interesting...
Previous by Thread: RE: This too is technical communication
Next by Thread: RE: This too is technical communication


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads