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Subject:Re: Using writing plans in technical writing From:Tony Markos <ajmarkos -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 24 Aug 2004 07:34:29 -0700 (PDT)
Robyn:
Engineers DESIGN effective (i.e., end-user friendly)
technical communications. You are correct to focus on
planning; it is very important to move away from the
typical crafting approach (i.e., jump onto the Word
Processor ASAP approach) that most Technical Writers
use. To the degree that we design our communciations,
the actual writing process is less painful.
Design of effective technical communications is not
creating an outline, but is the creation of the inputs
used to create the outline.
For software technical communications the need is to
take an approach very simular to the design of the
software itself. I use a modified form of Structured
Systems Analysis techniques (particuarly Data Flow
Diagrams) to create the inputs that I need to create
an effective outline.
>
> I am structuring a Technical Writing course for the
> engineers at my
> office. Instead of the usual approach, I am
> focusing the course on the
> tools available that make writing less painful. I
> am particularly
> interested in writing plans, and am looking for some
> examples.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Robyn Hausmann
>
> Robyn Hausmann
> Technical Writer/Editor
>
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