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 absolutely test my product (the documentation) before I submit it to QA
for official testing -- consider it equivalent of unit testing before
integration testing.
The issue, though, is whether QA of the product ITSELF (not the
documentation) should be part of the responsibility of the tech writer. And
I vote "No."
-----Original Message-----
From: Leona Dupree [mailto:llmdupree -at- YAHOO -dot- COM]
Sent: Friday, May 21, 1999 2:31 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Usability Testing
I never hand over my documentation without testing it against the
product. I don't mind testing what I have written because I want to
make sure it works according to what the software does. Why would any
Technical Writer have a problem with this being a part of the writing
process, if there are no QA personnel on board?
===
Sincerely,
Leona L. Magee-Dupree
