RE: What to look for in a technical editor

[Kim Roper <kim -dot- roper -at- pixelink -dot- com>]

Mark Baker said:
> 
> But that is precisely where imagination comes in. What a good 
> writer has to
> be able to do is to be an expert while still being able to 
> place themselves
> in the shoes of the novice -- an act of imagination.

Missing the point.  Engineers as a class should not be assumed to have a
"failure of imagination" simply because their imaginations are more focussed
on product design and problem solving rather than  role-playing as an end
user.  

We all have different locii of focus and imagination.  Being in a different
space does not imply "failure".  Look at it this way:  Does a tech writer
have a "failure of imagination" when it comes to  design implementation?
No, because the imagination of the tech writer is a moot point when taken so
far out of his element.  I'm sure he could come up with a very imaginative
and very wrong solution.  Chances are, he's thinking in terms of usability
rather than implementation, and the logic is likely to be different.

(Of course, this doesn't apply to all tech writers.  Apply the "it depends"
caveat.)

Comparing the imaginations of engineers and tech writers is like comparing
apples to oranges.  One cannot be assumed to be less nutritious than the
other--they're just different.

Further, this "failure of imagination" would seem to preclude engineers from
becoming tech writers.  I haven't disappeared in a puff of logic yet :>

Other than that, I think we're pretty much in agreement.

Cheers ... Kim
kim.roper at pixelink.com
http://www.pixelink.com/

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Robohelp X3, from eHelp, lets you quickly and easily create 
professional Help systems for all your Windows and Web-based 
applications, including Net. 

Order RoboHelp X3 in May and receive a $100 mail-in rebate, PLUS
free RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module. 
 
Order RoboHelp today: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.