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Re: Motivation and satisfaction in technical writing
Subject:Re: Motivation and satisfaction in technical writing From:Steven Brown <stevenabrown -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 24 Jun 2003 06:40:51 -0700 (PDT)
Mariana,
In a sick way, I'm glad to hear that other TWs are
questioning the value of our work. I, too, have been
in a funk recently, wondering whether my contributions
to the products I've supported have really made a
difference.
For many of us, it's true: very few users actually use
the documentation that we write. I've seen
system-generated reports that have shown how
infrequently people have accessed online help and
online PDF documents, and the numbers are
heartbreaking. There are many reasons for this, but
the most fundamental I think is that most UIs are
relatively easy to use, and even when they're not,
most users will muddle through the experience rather
than use online help. Heck, I've worked with technical
writers who've never opened online help in Word,
FrameMaker, Acrobat, etc....and they should know
better! (Content and ease of use are other factors.)
That said, I take some consolation that what *is* in
fact read by my users is clear, accurate, and helpful
(and like others, I enjoy the process of learning
about new products and technologies). I find myself
increasingly entrenched in the belief that to add
significant value to my documentation, it's important
that I become a SME. Anyone can write, "Type your name
in the Name field," but only the best of the best can
anticipate users' needs and help them use a product or
service in ways that will increase sales, reduce
support calls, etc. (all the things that matter to the
suits who control the purse strings).
This conversation is closely related to the one about
career paths for TWs. If you're sincerely interested
in the "user experience," usability, and/or being a
SME, a viable career path is one toward business or
systems analyst. An experienced analyst has the
potential to oversee all aspects of a product, from
architecture, UI design, embedded help, online help,
error messages, workflow, etc. -- all the things that
matter to us. That is where you can really make a
difference.
Steven Brown
Technical Writer
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