atw: Re: SEC: UNCLASS Are you content to be a 'content provider'?

Howard:

So, in a team of 18 writers working on user documentation for products
being produced by the client company, whose formats prevail?  Concepts of
"branding", "consistency", etc. are pretty important to clients, too.
Formatting is pretty important to readers as typography cues them as to
what information they are about to receive.  But just because someone is a
technical writer doesn't automatically mean they are good graphic designers
or typographers, too.

Being a content provider or developer is a noble and honourable profession.
So is graphic design.  Happy are those who are equally proficient in either
area.  For the rest of us, be humble enough to collaborate with an expert
to (a) teach them what your documents are intended to achieve and (b) be
prepared to learn from another expert and to be surprised by innovative use
of design to help your readers get the most from your documents.  I fear
you are setting up a straw man to simplify a complex situation.

"Content developer" is a more appropriate term because  "content" now goes
beyond text and graphics to also include animations, film clips, sound, and
whatever other modes of communication you can include in help, on CD and in
web pages.  And many of us are becoming programmers via the back door as we
include code in interactive  web pages or set up complex batch-driven
workflows.

Mind you, some designers think they are producing works of art, not
communications.  And they need to be educated about the difference between
the persuasive use of content/text/graphics and the informative and
instructive use.

Regards,
Hedley

--
Hedley Finger
Technical Communications Tools & Processes Specialist
MYOB Australia <http://myob.com/au>
P.O. box 371   Blackburn VIC 3130   Australia
12 Wesley Court   Tally Ho Business Park   East Burwood VIC 3151
Australia
<mailto:hedleyDOTfingerATmyobDOTcom>
Tel. +61 3 9222 9992 x 7421,   Mob. (cell) +61 412 461 558

© MYOB Technology Pty Ltd 2005

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