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A couple of keys to coming up with a rigorous,
comprehensive understanding of the essential end-user
tasks to be performed and how those tasks interrelate:
1.) Avoid "drowning in an ocean of detail". If we
want to know anything, we must avoid trying to know
everything to soon, buy jumping right away into the
details.
Unfortunately, going to developer meetings is always
an excercise in jumping into an ocean of design
detail. It is unfortunate: everyone is unsure of
themselves, no one wants to let that show, so everyone
plays it safe by limiting his/her conversation to the
very concrete. This is a waste of time. It is much
more productive for a TW to plan the questions he/she
needs to ask and then meet with developers one-on-one.
I understand the need for relationship building, but
has to be a better (i.e., win-win) way of doing it.
2.) Avoid design considerations until you have a
understanding of the system's underlying (i.e., design
independent) logic. This is a basic analysis
principle (TW Task Analysis or essential Systems
Analysis - no difference). Anyone who claims that
they can abstract the logical WHAT out of a bunch of
disjointed HOW - to any degree of rigor - are claiming
that they can do what Systems Analysts have known for
decades can not done.
Tony Markos
--- TechComm Dood <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> > I am sure it is different in different companies.
> Some companies like
> > for writers to be an integral part of the
> development process.
>
> I have news for you... ALL companies like for
> writers to be an
> integral part of the development process. They may
> not know it, but
> believe me, they're thrilled when they realize it.
> And integral
> involvement doesn't equate to couting ceiling tiles
> in development
> meetings...
>
> As John said, there are no special companies, rather
> there are special writers.
>
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