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.
Subject:Re[4]: Best Documentation From:Harry Hager <hhager -at- dttus -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com, tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com Date:08 Feb 2000 15:58:27 -0600
Tony,
I simply cannot agree with your position.
You seem to say that tech writers are replaced because the written
material was inadequate but it wasn't poor writing technique. The
failure was alway due to some other problem.
Then you seem to say that even when development efforts fail it's
never because of lack of knowledge of coding technique. The failure is
always due to some other problem.
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Re[2]: Best Documentation
Author: tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com at Internet-USA
Date: 2/8/00 1:23 PM
Harry Hagar asks:
In 15 years of your tech comm experience, are you saying
you've never worked on a project or heard of a project where a writer
was replaced for failing to write adequate material?
Tony Markatos:
I have seen lots of failure - and in fact have had to 'clean-up' more than
one mess. The material was very inadequate, but NOT because of poor writing
technique. Failures occur because of shortcomings in in analysis (including
discussions with end-users), estimating, organizing, and do to a lack of
standardization.
Geepers man! I see the exact same thing in development. When was the last
time you heard of a development effort failing because of a lack of
knowledge of coding technique - it never happens. Development projects fail
for the same reasons as TW do - inadequate analysis, estimating, organizing,
and standardization.
Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
