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> One thing she said seemed particularly germane to many
> discussions on the list, which I will paraphrase. Many
> technical writers are at the advanced beginner stage
> of proficiency with the software they are documenting.
> Thus, they spend a lot of time and space documenting
> what they are familiar with -- which tends to be
> navigating the menus. They do not necessarily take the
> time to document at a deeper level and how to
> effectively use the software in a task-based way. Less
> time should be devoted to instructions such as Click
> Save, and more time to understanding the software at a
> deeper level.
Gee, I've been saying that for over a decade and nobody pays to attend any of
my seminars.
Hackos (and me of course) are correct. Most writers document surface-level
instructions and do not take the time or effort to really think about HOW the
product/technology works and might be used. As such, most tech docs are endless
streams of pointless and worthless instructions.
This is usually caused by an over-emphasis on style and structure. Writers
spend all their energy and time building monuments of style and structure and
as such pay minimal attention to the content. The result - bad docs.
Andrew Plato
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