TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Re: I've been wrong all along...more pictures less words
Subject:Re: I've been wrong all along...more pictures less words From:Richard Lewis <tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:Daniel Ng <kjng -at- gprotechnologies -dot- com>, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Fri, 10 Aug 2007 06:27:11 -0700 (PDT)
As a TW, I do not write nothing. My job is to document the comprehensive, integrated whole for enterprise-wide systems efforts. Text is terrible for trying to document software systems. Trying to write sofware requirements specs is trying to use a one dimensional tool to document a three dimensional entity. It is impossible to be rigorous with just text.
At the same time, the loosey-goosey flowcharting techniques that everone else I know trys to use also fall flat. Graphics are the way - but, unless you just want to talk about what the system "kind of does", data flow diagrams are an absolute necessity. It is very black and white.
Richard Lewis
Daniel Ng <kjng -at- gprotechnologies -dot- com> wrote:
Hi!
Wondering if anyones been in anyone of these situations
I think I've done my research over the last few years. Followed the Tech
Whirlers. Read the books. Done the interviews.
I've been developing help files for our products with a style guide,
observing best practices in Microsoft Help and other popular help
products like in Adobe and in Robohelp. My general mantra for electronic
help has been more conceptual visio diagrams, concept descriptions,
detailed how to steps, put in examples, no software screenshots(minimal
at least). Then for printed documents, such as printable software
training guides, screenshots are okay, from time to time, copy and paste
text from the help. I thought that was an okay system for product
support documentation.
Change...
A new product is just to be released. The project manager kept stressing
more pictures, screenshots and less words. More screenshots. Less
writing. Factory workers don't care for text. All that english is too
much for them.
Coincidentally also added a new member to my team. Suggested no need to
develop a set of separate printable training guides (we took 7 months to
develop this in 2 languages with lots of text we reused from our effort
in Help)...suggested.. Just use the user's guide. Such a duplication of
effort is a waste. Get project trainers to use one source of information
no need all this cross referencing between printed and online help. Wats
a training guide when you have a user's guide.
Generally our project trainers prefer a printable handout(trainin
guides) to offer their students when they are learning the product. All
this electronic help search is alien stuff. Let me get the job done and
that's all I need to know. I know a lot of project trainers are glad to
have had the set of training guides to print instead of online help.
Have I got my assumptions wrong all these years? I guess change is
sometimes difficult. Have I been wrong?
Our users are production floor workers, line supervisors all the way up
to executives, high school literate to degree holders. Write for the
user they say. Don't ape what you see in big 'commercial' programs.
Have I got my assumptions wrong?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com -dot-
To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
---------------------------------
Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
