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Re: Important Stuff They Don't Teach In Tech Writing School
Subject:Re: Important Stuff They Don't Teach In Tech Writing School From:Andrew Plato <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:16:31 -0700 (PDT)
"Jerry Muelver" <jerry -at- hytext -dot- com> wrote in message news:248045 -at- techwr-l -dot- -dot- -dot-
>
> I like these Ten Rules for Technical Communicators:
>
>http://jersblog.com/Ten+rules.htm
>
> Disclaimer: The fact that I wrote them may have some bearing on my fondness
> for them....
>From that link:
> You are the advocate for the end user. Everything you do is ultimately
> for the end user. Sometimes your client needs a gentle reminder --
> "That's an interesting suggestion, but how does it help the end user?"
No. Good writing is not about activism for users. This is an idiotic concept
that has been infecting writers for too long. Where did you ever get the idea
that the users need advocates?
Users by and large hate documents. They won't read them and don't care about
them. All a user ever wants is to be productive, get a job done, and go get
drunk (on booze, cat hair, religion, or whatever vice they have). Users are not
fragile pixies who need our protection and love. They need information. And its
your job to give it to them, as painlessly as possible.
Furthermore, tech writers are not the defacto user experience experts. If you
don't know how a product works or understand the people using it - then
pointing out things you don't understand isn't "user advocacy" its annoying.
Its like the neighborhood kid who wanders around while you're trying to fix the
car, asking a million questions. At first its cute. Then its annoying. Then
you're debating dropping a transmission on him and how you'll avoid a prison
term.
Many technologies are designed and built based on specific market needs and
wants. If you want to get into user design, then become a desginer or marketing
slug. Don't assume because you can use FrameMaker, you're now entitled to begin
questioning the design of a product or technology.
You can't criticize things you don't know. Regardless of what Steve Martin
might sing.
Yes, I know....Some places will allow the tech writers to become a part of the
design and development process. But this is usually after they have proven they
have expertise with the technologies and industry. Its not something you get on
day one.
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