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Subject:RE: An Engineer has Infected my Young Mind From:"MacDonald, Stephen" <Stephen -dot- MacDonald -at- Aspect -dot- com> To:"'TECHWR-L'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 19 May 2000 07:43:04 -0400
A classic dilemma, for sure.
The engineers who write the software are usually (though not always,
particularly once customers get their hands on it) the best source of
information for how the software is designed and works.
Beware, however, of engineers who claim to have all the answers about how to
document their software. In my experience, engineers typically have little
idea about the persons who use the software, what their work environment is
like, what information they need to know, or how it should be presented.
Accept the engineer's input, but reserve the decisions about organization
and presentation to yourself. It's YOUR work. If you let the engineer
intimidate you and the documentation doesn't go over well with the
customers, it's not likely the engineer is going to stand with you to answer
for it. You may be inexperienced and young with a lot to learn about
technical writing, but that doesn't mean you don't have good instincts.
Trust yourself.
