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The first two classes in the series were very document oriented. We were using Word, and developing procedure and tutorial manuals, so there was a lot of work on content, structure, and so on. The third class in the sequence was learning FrameMaker, and was more process oriented (we were working in teams, where each team member had a specific role, and had regular team meetings, and so on). But all these classes were print-oriented.
This last class is very much tool-oriented. It's assumed we know how to write by now. My main issue is that I know there are different design considerations for developing good on-line help (shorter sentences, more pithy and to the point writing), but I'm sure there are other best practices for help that I just don't know about, and am not even sure what questions to ask.
>From my research into this program and the teacher, the tech writing certificate seems to be looked on very favorably in the local community, and has a good reputation for turning out competent writers.I came into this program having
20+ years experience writing policy and procedure manuals, but with a 6
year gap between now and when I last worked, so I'm looking for things
that are very different than the average student is.
-becca
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"Grant us, in our direst need, the smallest gifts: the nail of the horseshoe, the pin of the axle, the feather at the pivot point, the pebble at the mountain's peak, the kiss in despair, the one right word. In darkness, understanding."
Paladin of Souls (HB page 35), Lois McMaster Bujold
>________________________________
> From: "McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>
>To: Fred Ridder <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>; "becca -at- di -dot- org" <becca -at- di -dot- org>; "techwr-l -at- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- techwr-l -dot- com>
>Sent: Monday, June 4, 2012 10:16 AM
>Subject: RE: merging Robohelp projects?
>
>Hint to Becca:
>
>The brightest, go-getter-est people in your class have
>probably found out pretty much what you have, to get the
>task done... but they've written up the process and published
>it in their blogs, so they will have some CONTENT to show
>to prospective employers. Nudge...... nudge.... '
>
>If you look back in the archives of this list, you'll see
>where many of the members are hiring managers, and almost
>uniformly, they value the nitty-gritty skills of techwriting
>over the ability to use a specific tool.
>
>Fred and I are really hoping that that is just ONE class
>in your curriculum, and that most of the others have to
>do with actual research, organization and writing.
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Fred Ridder
>>
>>
>> Becca wrote:
>>
>>
>> > These are just demonstration projects, showing that we know how to
>> use features of the tool. I don't think we're being graded on content
>> at all.
>>
>> Seriously?!?!?
>>
>>
>
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>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
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>Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
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Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
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