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Subject:RE: This too is technical communication From:"Gordon McLean" <Gordon -dot- McLean -at- GrahamTechnology -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 7 Jun 2007 11:50:04 +0100
Gosh this topic has come a long way (I was at a conference so just getting
through the few hundred emails from the list).
It's been interesting skimming through the emails from a 'distance' and two
things shine through (one of which I've been accused of personally and will
learn from!)
1. Know your audience - the skills we need as Technical Writers (or whatever
YOUR job title is) depends on your audience (which in turn depends on the
product/project you are working on, and the company you are currently
working for).
2. Don't limit your thinking to your current knowledge - I'm guilty as sin
of this one. Generalising across our profession is, essentially, impossible.
We are all percentage parts writer/tester/designer/architect/developer...
Etc etc etc. It's a long list. Over my career those percentages have dipped
and changed in accordance to item 1. I'd guess (oops, generalising again!)
that it's the same for all of you.
So maybe that's the job description we need. A visual representation of our
skillset (and naturally you can then tailor it on your CV!), today I'm 84%
writer, 15% developer and 6% architect. I am definitely NOT a mathemetician
(ok ok, arithmetist..) ;-)
Gordon
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Stuart Burnfield
Sent: 07 June 2007 05:37
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: This too is technical communication
Lauren said:
> Knowing a user still requires some process to get from not knowing > to
learning and then to knowing.
I call that process "asking questions".
> Technical writers are not born "knowing." How could it be > possible
that an interviewee would "know" the new situation?
> What is that person's learning process?
Rather than have the SME explain things in "For Dummies" mode, I usually
find it more useful for *me* to summarise what I know of the project, and
have them correct me on the parts where my understanding is wrong or
incomplete. Then I ask some questions and come out with my revised and
improved summary, get feedback, go into more detail, and so on.
So I might start an interview with a brief statement just to make sure we're
starting from a firm foundation:
"Bob, I understand that that iSink is a new range of Bluetooth-enabled cast
iron waterskis, and you're in charge of the software development?"
Bob: "Yes, though it will be Wi-Fi, because Bluetooth doesn't work over the
length of a typical tow rope." (chuckles at TW's naïveté) "And the skis will
be lead."
Stuart: "So, I read in the functional spec that iSink has three software
UIs: the console on the boat, the ski-mounted browser, and the VR goggles."
Bob: "Yes, that's right. The goggles might slip to version 2."
Stuart: "I'm just curious to know if you considered using Ethernet cable for
the tow rope to avoid the wireless networking issues."
Bob: "No, the breaking strain on an RJ45 connector is typically only..."
And so on. At the end of the interview I might do a quick final summary ("So
it's Wi-Fi lead waterskis, two UIs that require online help and possibly a
third--decision on that next Friday--and a hardcopy operations guide,
presumably laminated."). I would follow up with a more detailed written
summary based on my notes, research and frantic Googling after the meeting.
The point of all this is that, however much I might be nodding away as the
SME explains the project, I don't know if I really understand correctly till
I try to explain it back.
Stuart
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