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Subject:RE: This too is technical communication From:Chris Borokowski <athloi -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Tue, 5 Jun 2007 14:22:52 -0700 (PDT)
While this is true, we need new words here. Someone
who knows nothing is not an idiot. Someone who cannot
know anything is.
I think it makes sense to say that we write our
documentation from the perspective of someone who
knows the minimum possible to still use the project,
and is distracted and in a chaotic environment so
requires simple statements. In psychological terms, we
are looking for someone whose capacity to infer is as
limited as his or her knowledge.
Both "clueless" and "idiot" are pejorative; terms like
inexperienced, unfamiliar, distracted, etc make more
sense. But the truth of it is that no matter how smart
your audience, if you simplify and streamline, it
makes it easier for them to absorb quickly.
--- Lauren <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu> wrote:
> Think about this way.
> If you interview your
> SMEs from your own understanding of the technology,
> which is higher than
> that of an average user, then you run the risk of
> having only enough
> information to satisfy the needs of an above average
> user.
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