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It might well be that a set of guidelines is the starting point, and that,
in fact, the 'rules' of writing content that can be reused aren't all that
much different from what we have now.
Understanding the structure is part of it, and yes that will include
understanding when NOT to include some information... But presuming we are
past that point, maybe there ISN'T a need for a training course in this
area, maybe it is purely down to understanding the structure and following a
set of simple guidelines.
But I'm not sure, nor convinced, it's that "easy". As Fred says, at some
point, once structure is understood, and the writer knows what NOT to
include, the content that will be used has to be written. I presumed there
was an approach to this type of writing, breaking the thought model out of
chapter/book mode and into chunk mode, but maybe there isn't. Maybe it is
just a set of "dos and donts"..
One thing is for sure, this thread has certainly pressed home the importance
of nailing the early requirements and fully understanding the structure of
our documentation.
Gordon
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=grahamtechnology -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Janice Gelb
Sent: 25 June 2007 13:37
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Writing structured content [recap]
Fred Ridder 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.
>
Unfortunately, the more we study this question, the more I'm beginning to
think that it's more a matter of having to provide guidelines on what not to
include (cross-references to material that might not be in every context,
assumptions about preceding or following material that might not be there,
etc.) before we can get to the ideal way to write the core of the topic that
remains.
-- Janice
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