Re: Engineers and Tech Writers

[Tom Jesionowski <thomasj -at- CELTECH -dot- COM>]

Well, I'll jump in and suggest that some tech writers also look down on
engineers. I also came at the technical writing field from a significant
engineering background. In some of the documentation groups I worked with
writers from liberal arts backgrounds who snubbed my qualifications to work
as a technical writer. This attitude created barriers to quality
documentation.

Fortunately, I fell in with a manager who understood the value of teaming.
She matched my technical skills with a strong editor. That teaming created a
magic combination! While I grew as a writing, my editor expanded her
understanding of the engineering behind our product. That knowledge enabled
her to exercise better technical edits. Senior technical writers and
managers bear the responsibility to foster this type of success.

Our occupation rides the fence between the schools of science and art. We
own the responsibility to help engineers understand our role, and we owe it
to ourselves to practice what we preach.

Tom Jesionowski
Principal Technical Writer
Cellular Technical Services, Co.



-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Klisiewicz [mailto:elizabeth -at- REMOTE -dot- CONTROL -dot- COM]
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 4:43 AM
Subject: Engineers and Tech Writers


Hi-I found this thread rather interesting, because I am both an engineer
*and* a tech writer, and I've sat on both sides of the fence. First off,
I have definitely encountered the arrogance mentioned in the original
post, although no one has ever said that writers are useless, etc.
Mostly, it is a condescending attitude I see in some engineers that a
mere writer could not possibly understand their technical jargon. When
they find out that I have several engineering degrees, their attitude
often does a major shift. I must admit, it has helped me to have a
technical background, and I use it to my advantage when a situtation
arises. However, I often get asked why I'm wasting my time as a writer
when I could be designing circuits. Well, I discovered that design is
not my forte, and writing is something I really like to do. I was a
writer first, and an engineer second.

In my last position and in my current position, the engineers have bent
over backwards to provide me with information and they are truly happy
that they don't have to do the writing. So, I am really lucky in that
regard.

I think that the young woman will learn to appreciate having a technical
documentation person, but it will take time. Hope it gets better.

Regards,

Elizabeth Klisiewicz
Principal Technical Writer
Control Technology Corporation

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=