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Subject:Re: Online Help Questions From:"Michael A. Lewis" <lewism -at- BRANDLE -dot- COM -dot- AU> Date:Fri, 14 Nov 1997 10:06:24 +1100
Martin, Chuck wrote:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael A. Lewis [SMTP:lewism -at- BRANDLE -dot- COM -dot- AU]
> >
> > you're probably not trying to put product support out of
> > business:
> >
> We're not?
>
> I think, especially when we as technical communicators are involved in
> the development process and designing the user interface, that putting
> tech support out of business is an excellent (if not generally
> unreachable) goal.
Indeed. But, precisely because it _is_ unreachable, we need to agree on
an appropriate division of responsibilities -- or perhaps of
expectations. Users are cussed critters, and they'll keep thinking of
things we didn't tell 'em, so there'll always be a need for someone to
help them out of the holes they dig for themselves. No matter what
unlikely scenarios we can dream up, users will dream up more. So we have
to consider: what's the threshold of unlikeliness that we try to cater
for?
--
Michael Lewis
Brandle Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia
: PO Box 1249 : Suite 8, The Watertower :
: Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012 : 1 Marian St, Redfern 2016 :
: Tel +61-2-9310-2224 : Fax +61-2-9310-5056 :
