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Subject:Re: You Don't Need to Know How From:Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 25 Jul 2001 08:53:48 -0700 (PDT)
"Ruth Lundquist" wrote...
> Completely untrue. I have know idea *how* my double oven with convection
> cooking works, but I could certainly explain to anyone how to cook
> everything from a pizza to a souffle using it. I could tell you how to
set
> the delayed timer to start cooking several hours from now, and I could
tell
> you how to clean it. I'm a great cook & I'm great at using the oven. I'm
> not an engineer & I have no idea how to build an oven or what makes it
> work. Thus far, it has not been a problem. ;-)
You actually do know how your oven works. You might not know every part
number and element, but you have intimate knowledge of how it works. Its
just that the oven is so simple, that you take the "how" aspect for
granted.
Thus your example is unrealistic. No, of course you don't need to know
every intimate piece of your watch, a stove, or a VCR. These things are
relatively straightforward technologies. Were you documenting a VCR, you
wouldn't need to know much more than there are heads and motors and
amplifiers inside.
But what about a three tier client/server implementation for a medical
claims billing software (I actually documented a program like this once.)
Do you have even the foggiest idea how this works. Probably not.
Hence the problem. You cannot properly document complex technology unless
you have some understanding of how it all works. This is fundamental to
understanding what it does and why it does it that way. Watches, VCRs, and
stoves are terrible comparisons because they're obvious and commonplace.
Most of us do not have the luxury to document commonplace technologies.
We're working on cutting edge or at least complex technologies and
scientific information. Yes, if all you do all day is document how to use
a VCR, you can remain ignorant. But, if you're going to be working on a
complex new software package, you cannot remain ignorant. You're doing
yourself, your company, and your readers a tremendous disservice.
Andrew Plato
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