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I find myself occasionally not having access to software I am
documenting, mostly because it's in development or on another server or
some other technical reason. I usually ask the developers involved to
get screen shots for me so I can include the right page and field names
etc. Between the screen shots, the spec, requirements doc, use cases
etc., I can usually sketch out a draft of how it works. When I do get
access to the system, I verify my document to the system to see how
close I came. Another step is to have the developer involved review the
doc.
Ron
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+rhearn=cucbc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+rhearn=cucbc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of Joe Malin
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 11:41 AM
To: Diana Ost; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Survey Question
It's never happened to me. In fact, they have always expected me to
learn the software and use it before I even ask questions.
You should tell them that your documentation will be incomplete because
you have no way of describing the UI or any of the procedures for using
the software. They may say, "well, we'll give you the instructions we
wrote ourselves." You say "OK, we'll trade. You get to review *my*
documentation, and I get to review *yours*".
Just kidding.
I am curious, though. How do they expect you to describe the UI if you
can't see it? And if they don't want you to describe the UI, what the
heck do they want you to *write*?
I can just see this: the manager goes off and tells his or her engineers
to write down all the instructions for using the software and then give
them to you, thus wasting their time and coming up with less useful
material.
Brilliant!<grin>
Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of Diana Ost
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 10:31 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Survey Question
I have a question for the group:
How many of you have been asked to document a software application, but
were not expected to need access to that software?
It's happened to me a few times where I had to explain that I can't
document what I can't see. I was wondering how prevalent this attitude
is from businesses?
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