Re: Certification Redux

["Walker, Arlen P" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>]

Hold it! Slow this merry-go-round, down, boss.

Chris said:
      So, Bill--
      Is it your contention then that outside the determination of a
      certification board, there is no valid or relevant determination of
      quality in technical communication or technical communicators?

To which Bill replied:
      Absolutely not. Every form of performance is valuable. The question
      is, who is qualified to judge that performance? People can't just
      take your word for it. The judgment of employers and customers is
      problematic also, as I have already indicated. They may or may not be
      qualified to judge.

I'm sorry, but I think I just got whiplash on that last turn. Bill started
out by saying "No," but didn't the rest of the answer (by pointing out the
uncertainty of their judgement) say "Yes?" Or am I just dizzy?

I've another question here, too. If the customer isn't qualified to judge
the quality of the operator's manual for his new combination forklift and
front end loader, how is it that someone who's never *seen* one of them
critters is?

Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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In God we trust; all others must provide data.
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If JCI had an opinion on this, they'd hire someone else to deliver it.

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