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Subject:STC Letter to the Editor From:"Blount, Patricia" <Patricia -dot- Blount -at- ca -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 1 Nov 2002 14:48:22 -0500
Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone has had the chance yet to read the letter to the Editor from Martha Chambliss in this month's issue of Technical Communication (STC)?
Chambliss comments on an editorial that draws parallels between judging the quality of technical comm products and - of all things - Olympic figure skating. (She apparently wrote an article on this subject in '98 that I haven't read). She closes her letter with an intriguing question: "Can anyone develop methods that will help technical communicators to achieve outstanding "artistic presentation" for information products and also to demonstrate its value?"
It occurs to me that this question goes right to the heart of so many quality debates; it seeks to identify and separate two distinct issues. Artistic presentation could include all the subjective quality interpretations that exist while value represents the objective ones. I'll admit that considering quality as two related but distinct issues somehow clarifies it for me. It's been a struggle to both define and assure quality here, as it's been on every job and probably is for you.
Do you see validity in Chambliss' comparison? Do you agree or disagree with my interpretation? I'd love to hear your ideas.
Patty B.
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