TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
>
> >What do you mean by "readable"? Readable like
> >a highway sign? Readable like a book cover? Readable
> >like a newspaper headline? Readable like body
> >text? Readable like the stock exchange listings
> >in the back of the newspaper?
Arlen answered:
> Readable like what it is. Is it a book cover? Is it a highway sign? Is it
a
> headline? Are you saying you don't know up front what it is you're
writing?
Actually, a disturbingly large number of "writers" don't think about
what they are writing, who they are writing for, and why,
and how their end-product will be used. But that is not my
point. My point is that "readable" has not one but many meanings,
and choices may need to be made based on real-world knowledge
(including field-testing). You can't do that in seconds. A highway sign
had better bemore than "readable." Lives may be at stake. A book cover
may need to be more than "readable," depending on business
or safety concerns. An instruction sheet may need to be used in
dangerous conditions, where "readability" is a complex issue.
Design needs to be done first, not last. That appears
to me to be the crux of what we are arguing about here.
I'm no good with these little doohickies, so please
distribute as you see fit:
;{>}
;{>}
;{>}
--
Michael West
Melbourne, Australia
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Are you using Doc-to-Help or ForeHelp? Switch to RoboHelp for Word for $249
or to RoboHelp Office for only $499. Get the PC Magazine five-star rated
Help authoring tool for less! Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr
Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by April 30. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.