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.
Self-Contained Topics = Loosely Coupled and Highly Cohesive Topics = Modularized Topics. Properly modularized text can be used in different topics, assembled in different ways, and still makes sense.
The task at hand is not to write in a structured fashion (minor formatting issues aside). This implies black magic and some sort of artsy-craftsy intuition.
The task is, through analysis, to come up with a properly structured understanding of what the product is to do, and then to use this understanding to guide the writing process. Words, sentences, and paragraphs to ultimately come into play. But they are not the major hurtle in effective structured writing.
Richard Lewis
Fred Ridder <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com> wrote:
No, the question is how to train writers how to think outside the
book and learn how to write self-contained topics that can be
used in different contexts and assembled in different ways and
still make sense. Not everything is a question of analysis. Ultimately
the information still has to be expreessed in words and sentences
and paragraphs and tables and illustrations so that communication
can (possibly) occur.
>From: Richard Lewis
>To: quills -at- airmail -dot- net, Gordon McLean
>,techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>Subject: RE: Writing structured content [recap]
>Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:56:25 -0700 (PDT)
>
>I think the question is how are the chunks determined.
>
> Richard Lewis
>
>quills -at- airmail -dot- net wrote:
> At 8:28 AM +0100 6/22/07, Gordon McLean wrote:
> >Thanks to everyone who has chosen to respond to my question.
> >
> >The information mapping topics, whilst interesting, aren't really
>answering
> >my question. I asked, specifically, about "structured writing" or
>"writing
> >for single source", I also mentioned that I'm more interested in how best
>to
> >shift a docs team from writing chapters, to writing distinct chunks of
> >information. Hence why I titled my email "Writing structured content" not
> >"What is structured writing"... Too subtle, right?
> >
> >A. the rewriting of existing content
> >B. a distinct method of writing content in the future, which allows for
> >maximum re-use.
>
>Then I'm stumped, why ask if you know the answer?
>
>If you are doing the job correctly you are already writing structured
>content.
>
> >From Macro to micro. Your chunks are discrete portions of a procedure
>or whatever that can stand alone. Your write from that view to
>accomplish the objective of that topic. The more narrow the topic the
>more detailed and smaller is the chunk. Think tasks. Each task is
>separate.
>
>As for single source. Well, that doesn't work too good if your
>audience changes as well as presentation and what or why you are
>presenting that information. An experience programmer doesn't have
>the same needs as a newbie. Nor does an administrator need the same
>type of information as does a user.
>
>Single source is only allowed for the same audience. If you use
>structured writing, you might, and I emphasize might, be able to
>reuse portions in different documents. Though again, because of the
>needs of your audiences, you might not.
>
>And procedural won't work with informational information needs.
>
>So what do you really want to discuss?
>
>Scott
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
>printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
>Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
>http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
>True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
>Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
>documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
>---
>You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com -dot-
>
>To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>or visit
>http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/tech44writer%40yahoo.com
>
>
>To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
>Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
>http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
>Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user
>panel and lay it on us.
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
>printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
>Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
>http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
>True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
>Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
>documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
>---
>You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com -dot-
>
>To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>or visit
>http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/docudoc%40hotmail.com
>
>
>To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
>Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
>http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
---------------------------------
Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
