RE: Tech writers still necessary, but performing poorly

[Chris Borokowski <athloi -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

You've hit on something important there. Sometimes the best
documentation is a numbered set of steps, written simply or in images,
that can get people on track (mostly) without lengthy or confusing
manuals.

The "Ikea method" of technical writing is underrated in some cases, but
not all. If a new C++ compiler shows up with a pictorial guide, I'm
going to clobber someone. However, even within traditional
documentation, it can be useful to cut the words and go with the
simplest possible route to the truth.

--- Jessica Weissman <Jessica -dot- Weissman -at- hillcrestlabs -dot- com> wrote:

> I'm not sure that any booklet would have helped these people, short
> of a
> set of stickers on the machine itself (or, just maybe, a pictorial
> foldout) telling them exactly what to do in what order.


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