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.
Subject:Re: The Covert Interview From:Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU> Date:Fri, 6 Jan 1995 16:57:30 -0700
And, of course, this saves everyone time in the long run because the
explanation only has to be made once.
> Yep, me too. Some months before I came to this division of HP, it was
> reorganized into cross-functional "product teams". When I moved in, my
> desk was in the middle of the programmers' desks, my manager was their
> manager, they were the first people I met. I eat lunch with them. I
> take coffee breaks with them. I barely have to "interview" anybody at
> all. If the conversation moves in the direction of something I'm
> documenting, I just stand there and ask my questions: "Oh, hey, I
> didn't realize the fromulater works that way with the garbonzer. How
> does that relate to the hooberdoober, then? ...And the bug you're
> talking about, that's in the garbonzer too? ..." Since it's usually
> Engineer A explaining his stuff to Engineer B, he's perfectly happy
> to explain it to me too.
> --
> Laura Johnson
> lauraj -at- fc -dot- hp -dot- com
> Hewlett Packard NSMD
> Ft. Collins, CO
RoMay Sitze A musician must make music, an artist must
rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu paint, a poet must write, if he is to be
ultimately at peace with himself.
-Abraham Maslow-