RE: Where do we belong?? (and SME's again)

Subject: RE: Where do we belong?? (and SME's again)
From: mclm -at- ncode -dot- co -dot- uk
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2001 15:08:23 +0100

>

Learn the organization's information flows. Often in a software house
(especially startups), it's better to be in engineering in order to grab
information and influence design. However, corporate cultures vary
tremendously, so study it before you make a recommendation. And take the
lead on your area of expertise. Your much more likely to be able to direct
your own destiny.<


An excellent post by Connie.
I'd like to expand on the post by saying that a tech writer should straddle
*both* engineering and marketing disciplines. We should not be constrained
and boxed in like those poor "cubicle dwellers" <g>.

Tech writers obviously need to integrate with technical experts -- to find
out how a product works, for example.
But the marketing element is also *very* important in my opinion. Consider
the following aspects of a tech writers job:

* The design and page layout of the manual, fonts, number of pages (short or
long manual?).
* What's the target audience for this manual? Who are our big customers?
* What are our competitors up to?

All these points are related to marketing/sales.

Michael.

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