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RE: Now is the winter of our dis-CONTENT (was Content vs. Style)
Subject:RE: Now is the winter of our dis-CONTENT (was Content vs. Style) From:"Klasovsky, Nick" <nklasovsky -at- nordson -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 20 Nov 2002 09:12:13 -0500
Guess I'm one of the few on this list who document hardware. I document
powder and liquid coating systems, induction curing systems, robotic flux
and conformal coating application systems for circuit board manufacturers,
form-in-place gasketing systems for automobile and container manufacturers,
and a host of other products for applying just about anything you can think
of to just about any kind of industrial and consumer product. The components
in these systems include, pumps, valves, regulators, metering systems, spray
guns, robot interfaces, sophisticated custom-built controllers incorporating
both PCs and PLCs along with proprietary operator interfaces and control
software, and high voltage power supplies.
I document both the individual components and the integrated systems. My
documents cover specifications, detailed descriptions, installation,
operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and parts lists. My
deliverables include instruction sheets for single topics, complete manuals,
operator cards, Winhelp and HTML Help for control software, training guides
and presentations, an internet library of PDF files, and a quarterly CD.
To do my job, I have to know mechanics, pneumatics, hydraulics, and the
technologies behind all our products. I have to write almost all documents
from scratch, using my technical knowledge and ability to read and interpet
engineering drawings, schematics, bills of material, along with hands-on
work with the products and systems. In my 21 years documenting hardware I
can count on the fingers of one hand how many times an engineer has written
something I can edit and use as customer documentation.
Content is king in the hardware world, along with easy navigation. Our
customers and field service personnel don't care what font you use or how
much white space is on each page. All they care about is how fast they can
find the information they need and that it is complete and correct. Downtime
in a manufacturing environment can cost our customers thousands of dollars a
minute.
Nick Klasovsky
Senior Technical Writer
Nordson Corporation
Amherst, Ohio
nklasovsky -at- nordson -dot- com
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