Re: This too is technical communication

Subject: Re: This too is technical communication
From: "Mike Starr" <mikestarr-techwr-l -at- writestarr -dot- com>
To: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 18:49:06 -0500

My usual approach is to go to an SME and ask one or two pointed questions
about specific details of the product. However, there are times when I need
to learn things from the ground up, like when I'm learning a totally new
technology. Sometimes I need to ask the SME to give me the simplified
version so I can understand how the technology works in order to explain it
to the user. I certainly don't use the "clueless idiot" or "high-school
dropout forklift driver" approach for every encounter with engineers or
programmers.

But at the same time, I learned a long time ago that we technical writers
can't bluff our way through it or pretend we understand complex products
when we really don't. If we don't understand it almost well enough to join
the development team, we'll have a hard time explaining it to the customer.

Mike
--
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Ned Bedinger" <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>
To: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
Cc: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: This too is technical communication

> Mike Starr wrote:
>> John, you're missing the point here... I want the SMEs to explain things
>> to
>> me like it was *ME* who's the high-school dropout forklift driver.
>
> I've been reading this 'idiot' interview technique thing as hyperbole,
> not something you would actually try to do. But if you're actually going
> to SMEs and saying "Start at the beginning, explain it to me as if I
> know nothing about it," then I hope it is with the understanding that
> you'll stop them when you've found your grip on the topic.
>
> Otherwise, I can't think of how you keep them from thinking you're
> helpless. My SMEs don't appreciate helplessness in a tech writer. They'd
> be saying "Uh oh, the village idiot wants an hour, I'll tell him I'm
> slammed and busy for the rest of the month."
>

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Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: This too is technical communication: From: John Posada
Re: This too is technical communication: From: Mike Starr
Re: This too is technical communication: From: Ned Bedinger

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