Re: Imagine you teach

["Eric L. Dunn" <edunn -at- TRANSPORT -dot- BOMBARDIER -dot- COM>]

Never caught the first post, however....
It seems that the group is very much stuck in a software only mode. IMO
good tech writing or communicating is completely independant of what you
are describing or by which medium you are communicating. The two options
are completely different (Apples and Oranges if you will).
I completed my studies with a Bachelors degree  in Mechanical Engineering
(Automotive design). Currently I am a tech writer and instructor for train
maintenance. I received a compulsory course in tech writing while at
University and was recuired to write a tech report as a project for
separate credits (3 months over the summer to complete).
To be an effective TC or TW, I believe you require four things:
     - A solid base in the language you must use
     - An understanding of technical communication/writing
     - A background or understanding of the technology you must describe
     - A solid understanding of the medium to be used (Word, WP,
FrameMaker, SGML, On-Line Help, HTML, multimedia, etc...)
However I would argue that detailed knowledge of the fourth is not
necessarily required. If the job function is true tech writing, all that is
required is very basic knowledge about the writing tool. All the
programming, formatting, page layout, etcetera can be left to a specialist.
I think the option of teaching the class programming principles falls
within the realm of my third point. This would mean that if we were to move
the discussion to TWriting at large it would be a moot point for many in
the field outside those writing software documentation.

Eric Dunn
edunn -at- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com

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