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Subject:RE: When it is right to be wrong? From:"Farwell, Peter" <peter -dot- farwell -at- encorp -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 6 Feb 2002 10:34:41 -0700
Another problem with rushing documentation out that contains inaccuracies is
the toll it takes on technical support personnel. These are the folks on the
front lines (where I served my time for a number of years, thank you). Not
only do you waste time chasing an elusive solution, actually damage
equipment (I've personally had this happen to me >poof<), you run a very
real risk in irreparably damaging that all important customer relationship.
I have always thought it ironic that at some companies, the lowest paid and
least trained people (tech support) were the one's entrusted with helping a
customer who might be on the verge of throwing your product in the trash.
Inaccurate documentation may not be the entire problem but it is often the
straw which breaks the camel's back for both frustrated customers and tech
support people.
My 2 cents!
Peter Farwell
> "Get it done, then get it right, then get it pretty. ... I'd
> rather have a complete documentation set that's 90% accurate
> than an incomplete doc set that's 100% accurate."
>
> I agree about the pretty part. But I can't think of any
> situation where inaccurate documentation is better than no
> documentation.
>
> I read "90% accurate" as meaning "10% inaccurate".
>
> Inaccurate doc is worse than no doc 'cause you waste your
> time with it. Plus it causes bad will and makes users
> distrust documentation (don't we all know it).
>
>
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