Thinking Patterns (was RE: Interviews (5 Year Question))

["John Fleming" <johnf -at- ecn -dot- ab -dot- ca>]

> Subject: RE: Interviews (5 Year Question)
> From: "Diane Evans" <dianee -at- lockstream -dot- com>
> Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 12:04:11 -0700
> X-Message-Number: 35

> This thread has been very interesting to read.  I work for a small
dot-com
> that wasn't quite sure what a technical writer was, just knew that
they
> needed one.  They gave me two problems to solve similar to the
> giraffe-in-the-refrigerator.  I answered both quickly, then
responded with a
> problem for them to solve -- which they were unable to do.  Later
(after I
> was hired) I explained that their problems were geared towards
logical
> thinking, where mine was geared towards pattern recognition.  In the
tech
> writing field, pattern recognition (being able to discover order
within
> chaos) is a much more valuable skill than logical thinking (also
very
> valuable!).

I was talking to our project supervisor the other day, and she made an
interesting comment on the way technical writers think and how we
write instructions.

Over the years, she interviewed and hired and worked with a lot of
technical writers, and her observation is that, as a group, we are
really good at writing sequential instructions--instructions typical
of tool use and where order is important.

For example, to refuel care
    1.    Is engine off?
            a.    If no, turn engine off
    2.    Open fuel filler door.
    3.    Remove fuel cap from fuel inlet.
    4.    Take pump nozzle from holder on pump.
    4.    Place pump nozzle in fuel inlet.
    5.    Turn pump on
    6.    When tank is full, turn pump off.
    7.    Remove pump nozzle from fuel inlet
    8.    Place pump nozzle back in holder on pump.
    9.    Replace fuel cap.
    10.  Close fuel filler door.
    11.    Pay cashier
            *End Procedure

Where we run into trouble, and one of the reasons tech writers don't
seem to survive long on this project, is that we are documenting work
flow, where order may be dictated more by best practices than by
necessity, and where the need to perform some steps my be determined
by the results of other steps.

For example, someone phones to establish service at a location.

    1.    Determine if caller is existing customer
    2.    If caller is existing customer, is customer transferring
service from
            an old location to new location?
                a.    If yes, go to step 11.
                b.    If no, go to step 6
    3.    If not existing customer, Determine if customer is former
            customer or new customer.
                a.    If new customer go to step 5.
                b.    If customer former customer determine time
service ended
                        i.    If less than two years, go to 4.
                        ii.   If two years or more, go to 5.
    4.    Determine reason former customer ended service.
                a.    If service terminated for non payment of
account, go to step 9
                b.    Else go to 7.
    5.    <Steps to establish new account>
    6.    <Steps to establish service for account at new location>
            *End procedure
    7.    <Steps to re-establish service to inactive account>
    8.    Determine if service to old location or new location
            a.    If service to new location, go to 6.
            b.    If service to old location, go to 13
    9.    <Steps to re-establish service to delinquent account>
    10.    Determine if service to old location or new location.
            a.    If service to new location, go to 6.
            b.    If service to old location, go to 13
    11.    <Steps to end service at old location.>
    12.    Go to step 6.
    13.    <Steps to re-establish service at old location.>
                *End Procedure

Is this a good observation?  Are we, as writers, better at certain
kinds of instructions than others?

--

John Fleming
Technical Writer
Edmonton, Alberta
email:     johnf -at- ecn -dot- ab -dot- ca



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