RE: Yahoo has no staff tech writers

Subject: RE: Yahoo has no staff tech writers
From: "Sean O'Donoghue-Hayes (EAA)" <Sean.O'Donoghue-Hayes -at- ericsson -dot- com -dot- au>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2002 12:58:09 +1000


Andrew wrote...lots of stuff....my responses are the **** (my original
comments are the >)

> I haven't found this as being where I add value. My number one criteria -
> can I comprehend what the SME is telling me and rewrite it so that it is
> clear to the audience, without them ever needing to hear from the SME or
> have the SME's level of knowledge.
>
> If I can do that we all win, and having the knowledge of a SME is not
going
> to get me there.

Wrong. Based on your definition, all you're doing is intelligently
repackaging
the SMEs words. You are not adding insight to the material. To add insight
you
have to understand the technology at a intimate level.

****oh good point Andrew, but I would see that as being slightly wrong....I
need not add new insight, I need to be able to convey the insight that the
experience and knowledge of the SME possesses to those who do not possess
that knowledge or experience, in terms which they can understand.

****IF the SME can already provide that to a user I am really, honestly, not
required.


> I am writing for the product, not building it (thought I
> might suggest things). I need to explain a concept so someone else can
> understand, not so they can rebuild it. I need to be able to think what
> does my audience need to know, and what don't they need to know.

And in order to do that, you need to really have experience that goes beyond
the
SME. For example, I've documented programs where the SME didn't bother to
mention that you need to have administrative rights to the local machine
where
the program was installed.

Unless you understood the nature and use of Windows boxes, you wouldn't know
to
ask that question and as such wouldn't put it in the docs. And as such, you
might
have a user who attempts to install your company's product, the installation
fails, they bitch, lost sale...crappy docs.

****grumpph,,,grumpph....yes but to me that is technical expertise, that is
commonsense to look beyond just one component, or one product, to the...(god
this expression sucks,...but)...to the entire user experience....

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