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Subject:Re: Explaining what we do From:John Beatty <jdbeatty -at- EARTH -dot- EXECPC -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 6 Jun 1995 12:47:51 GMT
normanr -at- email -dot- uah -dot- edu wrote:
: I realize that what I am asking for is something technical writers
: know from experience, but how do you get it across to people who
: have no experience of this kind? Perhaps some of you have had to
: fight this same battle at a small company out there earnestly
: reinventing the wheel?
Best way I know of is to ask the engineer to write code in a new language
without referring to written documentation. See how long it takes to get
the point across. Another way is to have them write the documentation to
train a new engineer. They soon forget how much they cost and start
remembering that if they have to do it it takes too long.
The best way to "sell" technical communications services is to give an
appreciation of what the alternatives are. The costs are soon forgotten.
