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 user guide prescribes the program From:Chris Boehm <Chris -dot- Boehm -at- INEACORP -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 6 Jan 1997 15:52:38 -0500
I think it's a fantastic idea. It sounds a lot like speccing out a
project thoroughly before beginning. It probably does save a lot of
time, confusion, keeps some standards in place, and employs more
writers:-).
It also probably helps because developers tend to get caught up in the
'how are we going to do this?' instead of 'what are we really doing and
how will the users react?', which is really more important since the
technology to do things changes so fast.
If you look through back issues of the STC journals, you'll find
references to user testing, both for software and for documentation,
before releasing to the customer. I think this is the first time I've
heard of it taken so far, tho.
I think it would help a lot of companies, mine included. Do you know if
they have published their process?
Chris
>----------
>From: joe rapp[SMTP:joe-rapp -at- JUNO -dot- COM]
>Sent: Monday, January 06, 1997 3:03 PM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: The user guide prescribes the program
>
>Can someone provide a reference that supports the following
>view?
>
>An experienced engineer/manager at NYNEX told me that
>he believes that "The documentation IS the program." This
>means that, for example, on a $60 million software project, they
>FIRST wrote the user guide and designed the screens. Then
>the users tested the guide for usefulness, clarity, etc. This
>first phase took a year and a half. AFTER this was done, the
>programmers were told to write the code -- which they did in
>two weeks.
>
>This engineer told me it is standard thinking that the
>computer program IS the user guide, while the code is just
> the code. If the program "doesn't work" properly, then
>changes are made to the code -- not vice versa.
>
>Since this view of documentation makes the tech writer's job
>more central, more important, and more valuable, I would like
>to see where this view is supported in the literature of
>computer program development and/or user guide
>development.
>
> TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
>to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
> Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
>browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
>
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html