Re[2]: Figures

[Susan Gallagher <Susan_Gallagher_at_Enfin-SD -at- RELAY -dot- PROTEON -dot- COM>]

Text item: Text_1

          I was working at my first tech writing job in 1983 -- and
          simultaneously taking my first (night school) tech writing
          class.  My homework assignment was to diagram a process and
          I was really stumped as to what to diagram.

          I put the problem into background processing and went to
          work on the task at hand -- creating user training for the
          _brand_new_ Wang PC -- explaining the concept of formatting
          diskettes and the File Allocation Table!  Before long, light
          dawned!  I killed two birds with one drawing and learned, at
          the molecular level, that sometimes a picture really is
          worth 1,000 words.

          Back then we did _real_ paste-up, with formaline tape and a
          sticky sheet of 1/2 tone dots.  Drawing programs have made
          life so much easier, although it took a while to make the
          mouse move where I thought I wanted it to.

          I think that after a while it becomes (should become?)
          second nature, whenever it's hard to find the words, to draw
          a picture.  That picture can help you organize your thoughts
          and help the reader make that mental leap to understanding.

Sue Gallagher                                 |
Sr. Technical Writer                          |      "Updating a manual
Easel Corporation                             |     is like changing tires
Enfin Technology Lab                          |       on a moving car."
San Diego, CA                                 |        -- Edmond Weiss
Susan_Gallagher_at_Enfin-SD -at- relay -dot- proteon -dot- com |