TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I think you missed my point, a little. What I said was "not understanding
INITIALLY." Naturally, as you continue to work on the product, you begin
to understand it more thoroughly.
As an example, I recently wrote documentation for software to run a message
display unit. I understood what a message display unit was, and how our
customers would use such a product, but I had no idea HOW to use the software.
I am now, however, an expert on it--I've used it over and over again trying
to understand how it works, and found problems and shortcuts the engineers
didn't know about.
I work for a telecommunications company. When I came here, I didn't know
anything about telephony. I stumbled a bit at first, but my superiors
considered it an advantage that I didn't know very much--they wanted me to
have a user's point of view rather than a SME's point of view.
It's my opinion that I can learn as much as necessary about ANYTHING to do the
job right. This doesn't mean I have to be an expert at everything--I just
have to know what questions to ask (if I was an expert, then I would be the
engineer, and getting the engineer's salary, wouldn't I?).
Nora
merhar -at- alena -dot- switch -dot- rockwell -dot- com
