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RE: Speaking the SME's Language (was: Jumpstart a programming abi lity [-why?])
Subject:RE: Speaking the SME's Language (was: Jumpstart a programming abi lity [-why?]) From:"Giordano, Connie" <Connie -dot- Giordano -at- FMR -dot- COM> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 6 Jul 2001 15:26:17 -0400
Anne,
I'm not getting defensive--I'm just annoyed by tech writers who defer their
own unique abilities to those of developers, especially to the point of
being afraid that not knowing how to program somehow makes them second
class. Or that being able to makes them superior to the rest of us. Not
accusing you, Anne, but I have seen that attitude displayed fairly
frequently over the last three years that I've subscribed to the list.
You can read code... that's absolutely great (truly-I always respect people
with abilities that I don't possess). I've never needed to, and that's OK,
too, because I can design a UI that my developer colleagues can work from,
and I don't have to step on their egos to do it. It's always worked for me.
If I ever do need to learn to interpret code, I'll learn...without moaning
about how it's outside the job description.
In point of fact, we are on exactly the same page ... I want to shoot those
"I'm a writer, not a <fill in area of expertise>" people. The rest of us
who like to learn new stuff and have the capability of designing and
managing new projects are held back by such mediocrity and lack of
self-confidence.
Regards,
Connie "look, ma I'm a SME too" Giordano
-----Original Message-----
From: Anne -dot- Robotti -at- radisys -dot- com [mailto:Anne -dot- Robotti -at- radisys -dot- com]
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 3:10 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Speaking the SME's Language (was: Jumpstart a programming
ability [-why?])
It means exactly what it says.
It certainly doesn't mean that *you're*
stupid, why are you getting so defensive?
It means please don't do the rest of us
a favor by saying things like, "I'm a writer
not a programmer" to people who are
conducting interviews! I can read a code
sample just fine!
Anne
> "Giordano, Connie" <Connie -dot- Giordano -at- FMR -dot- COM>
> Sent by: bounce-techwr-l-70580 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
> 07/06/01 02:55 PM
> Please respond to "Giordano, Connie"
> Exactly what does this mean? I've been a software technical writer for
> almost 8 years, and I've NEVER been asked to interpret code. Maybe
> because
> my area of expertise is not API documentation, which is one place I
could
> see it being advantageous. Does the fact that I know more about process
> analysis, usability and design than 99% of my colleagues make me
stupider
> than them simply because I don't read and interpret code? They don't
> think
> so, and I don't think so.
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