Systems Development and Technical Writing

[Robert Ward <CL0087P -at- PEGASUS -dot- HUDDERSFIELD -dot- AC -dot- UK>]

We are interested in the relationship between technical writing
and computer systems development, and would like to put the following
open-ended question to writers of computer user documentation.

From where do you obtain the information content for your
documentation?  In particular, to what extent do you make use of
information from technical systems development documentation and
other development materials?

It would also be useful to know:

    the general kind of system your documentation is for - tool
    or application;

    what systems development approach is used (e.g. structured
    method, object oriented methos, rapid applications development)?

    how closely you work with product developers - are you a member
    of the development team or just an "appendage"?

I would be very grateful for your views and will analyse responses
and summarise them for the list. It might be better to email me
direct rather than reply to the list.

Thanks,

Robert Ward
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Dr Robert Ward                  Phone          01484-422288
School of Computing & Maths     Direct Line    01484-472300
University of Huddersfield      email          r -dot- d -dot- ward -at- hud -dot- ac -dot- uk
Huddersfield HD1 3DH            Fax            01484-421106
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