RE: Choosing and managing customer-facing terminology

["Dan Goldstein" <DGoldstein -at- riverainmedical -dot- com>]

"Effect," not "affect."
(I usually ignore typos on TECHWR-L, but you're criticizing someone
else's English usage, so I thought you would care.)


-----Original Message-----
From: mattgras 
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 2:18 PM
To: Julian Cantella
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Choosing and managing customer-facing terminology

Actually, I think this topic may have a big "affect" rather than an
"impact" (KABOOM!!!!) on user perception. 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Julian Cantella" <jcantel -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 10:55:43 AM
Subject: Choosing and managing customer-facing terminology 

Hello, 

I'm curious about how writers choose terminology that will be exposed to
customers. In particular, I'm thinking about text that is highly visible
and informs the users' view of the product, like embedded assistance in
software documentation. 

Do you use whatever terminology your subject matter experts provide? 
Consult domain publications and other products in the field? 

When you decide what terminology you'd like to use, how do you enforce
it and ensure that everyone (other writers for the same product,
developers, maybe even marketing) is on the same page? Do you record
your decision in a common database? 

And finally, what happens when you and your subject matter experts
disagree? Do you try to put alternatives in front of users? 

This topic is pretty broad, but it's an important one that has a big
impact on users' perception of product and documentation quality. 




This message contains confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately thereafter.  Thank you.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


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.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat