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Subject:Re: The big picture (more than grammar) From:Kenneth Mauro <kmauro -at- AMERITECH -dot- NET> Date:Fri, 12 Mar 1999 12:20:54 -0600
Philomena Hoopes wrote:
>
> Once I know the basic logic
> behind the product, I have a groundwork for understanding the procedures.
That's it. The problem is that this kind of summary and introduction to
the big picture/basic logic may require a special understanding of the
product -- not merely comprehensive, but ideally, gained from the
crucible of sustained use over a wide range of real-life documents and
situations. Also, such an assignment may take a fair amount of time,
which managers and circumstances may not always allow. Still, I think
the information is valuable for many users.
A few years ago, I asked a project/marketing engineer assigned to guide
my writing efforts why we wouldn't want to include certain illustrations
and explanations -- concept stuff. Stuff I considered big picture but
valuable for that reason. He said "We don't need that information in
there. This is a reference manual we're doing."
I think about that answer to this day. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was
eventually covered in a training class?
