atw: Re: Visibility of documentation efforts
- From: Christine Kent <cmkentau@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 20:54:22 +1100
Good summary Warren. That's what we do - make things look simple.
Ck
On Wednesday, December 24, 2014, Warren Lewington <wjlewington@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Companies employ us when they have a box full of jigsaw pieces and no
> pictures. We create the pictures and put all the pieces into the place they
> are meant to be.
>
> Bosses see they have the pieces. But have no idea there are no pictures.
> Staff know they can't put the pieces together because they haven't got the
> pictures.
>
> So we could also metaphorically be called bridge builders. But I think the
> pieces and jigsaw analogy is closer.
>
> Warren.
> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:;> [mailto:
> austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:;>] On Behalf Of Stephen
> Nason
> Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2014 4:03 PM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <javascript:;>
> Subject: atw: Re: Visibility of documentation efforts
>
> Hi all, and Merry Christmas.
>
> I'm a bit reluctant to contribute to this thread, not being fully engaged
> in tech writing and in the company here of longterm experts.
>
> But the jigsaw analogy worries me and is, I think, seriously flawed. It is
> perhaps a good example of why tech writing is not valued by senior
> management. It also shows that tech writing is not valued by some tech
> writers themselves.
>
> Let me explain.
>
> A collection of jumbled jigsaw pieces might be chaotic, but there is
> certainty that by following simple procedures a clear picture will emerge
> at the end. The picture is preordained and there is no creativity involved
> in finding it. If this is how you see your work don't blame the boss if he
> sees it the same way too - mere process work that is clever but not
> critical. Something an app could do.
>
> In contrast, the end result of a skilled and talented tech writer's work
> is not preordained by the materials that are available at the beginning.
> There is no manual just waiting to be assembled from the pieces of
> informational chaos. The manual must first be created in the mind of the
> tech writing and brought into being. No app can do this.
>
> Tech writers need to take more credit for the creativity they bring to
> their work. And when they have, they then need to sell it into the boss.
>
> (and so ends my rants for 2014)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Steve
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--
Christine
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