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Re: Culture, or What it means to be a Technical Writer
Subject:Re: Culture, or What it means to be a Technical Writer From:"L. H. Garlinghouse" <garlinghou -at- WATERLOOINDUSTRIES -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 8 May 1998 14:50:16 -0600
> Bill Swallow says:
> I don't know about you, but I prefer to call what we do "information
> design and management" to say the VERY least. "Translation" is such a
> small fraction of the big picture.
>
> Am I totally off on this? Am I involved in too much of the
> documentation process? I think not. I may be called a control freak,
> but this way I know the end-user needs are addressed from start to
> finish.
===============
May I offer that maybe "translating" is not the best term? I would
be more comfortable with "interpreting." Interpreting including the
sense that a historical theme park "interpreter" uses a variety of
devices to communicate the theme, message, ambiance and so forth.
Sometimes I use words. Sometimes flow charts. Other times matrices
or line drawings. The sequence I choose to present the devices plays
in as well. I agree that "interpreting" may capture a bigger part of
the picture but still falls short of addressing the management end of
the process and all the other things Tee Dubbs do..
<< All opinions, statements, &c are my own>>
L.H. Garlinghouse, C.Q.E.
Pocahontas AR U.S.A.
(870) 892-4586 ext 7659
garlinghou -at- waterlooindustries -dot- com
