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All of the skills you mentioned differentiate a
Tech Writer from other writers. I equate the reader
with the person who reads the documentation to use
the product. We agree that a TechWriter is an
advocate for the end user of the product, part of
this consists of the documentation.
-------------------------------------------
I'm not an advocate for the reader, I'm an advocate for the product user.
If that means writing a document, so be it. It also means designing a
document that can be read and absorbed, often with graphics and attention to
typographical issues. But it also means designing effective product
interfaces, figuring out whether extensive training will be required, how to
make a knowledge base accessible to the users, and a thousand other items
that may or may not be directly related to technical writing, but absolutely
essential to a successful user experience.
MTC
Connie P. Giordano
-----Original Message-----
Another point not included on this enjoyable
discussion is that the TW is the advocate for
the reader. Not only do we have to have enough
technical expertise to write and edit the material
at hand, we also need the ability to step back
from our docs and view them from the user
perspective. This is a skill that is sorely
lacking in the vast majority of people, let alone
the technical experts, thus another reason for tech
writers.
Not only do we have to write with technical
expertise, we have to be able to read without
it, and recognize the difference. I believe
this is a skill that differentiates technical
writers from other writers.
--
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