TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Re: Being an Expert (was:I'm taking my marbles and going home...)
Subject:Re: Being an Expert (was:I'm taking my marbles and going home...) From:letoured -at- together -dot- net To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 14 Aug 2002 07:57:25 -0400
In <20020813203644 -dot- F0BE927C86 -at- email -dot- iwon -dot- com>, on 08/13/02
at 04:36 PM, "tom -dot- green -at- iwon -dot- com" <tom -dot- green -at- iwon -dot- com> said:
>OK, I'll bite on this thread just one time. You don't necessarily have to be
>a programmer or engineer to write quality manuals. That is why you have
>several SMEs to review the content before the manual goes to print. The SMEs
>decide what is accurate and what isn't. If I were a mechanical engineer I
>would be a mechanical engineer. I think we (Tech Writers) are hired to create
>professional manuals from the talent available in the company.
The software industry seems to make heavy use Smes. Other industries expect
the writer to be an expert -- who receives expert help from other experts in
the finer details of complex systems?
Do you think you could say -- even with 20 SME's helping you -- write a manual
on steam turbine maintenance? Large ones probably have about 60,000 parts --
and you have to write from engineering and design data, blueprints, and field
reports? Can you do that? Can you figure out what the engineer in the field
taking one apart for a 10 year overhaul has to do?
Do you need more examples or do you get the idea?
-----------------------------------------------------------
letoured -at- together -dot- net
-----------------------------------------------------------
Save up to 50% with RoboHelp Deluxe. Get 2 great products for 1 low price!
You'll get RoboHelp Office PLUS RoboDemo, the software demonstration tool
that everyone's been talking about. Check it out and save! http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
