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If we're talking about something like a bulldozer, what documentation can't be done unless the writer puts his hands on the item? I can't imagine you're saying that a technical writer can't warn a worker that a component is heavy unless he tries to lift it himself, or that he can't write a warning that a bulldozer may run people over unless he knows how to drive one. And I'm 100% certain they won't have a writer test driving new models of heavy gear, so what hands-on experience would he get anyway?
Ken, I'm kind of interested in this now. I've never thought about technical writing in relation to heavy equipment. Could you tell us a bit more about this job you're hiring for? What are the deliverables?
> From: Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
> Subject: RE: Re: How do hiring companies view TW resumes?
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Date: Thursday, April 1, 2010, 7:33 PM
> By the time a piece of heavy
> equipment is available for viewing or use at a rental yard,
> its documentation had better already have been written,
> tested and published. Unless the docs person is just a
> "glorified secretary" who is being spoon fed input by SMEs
> who are doing all the verification after the font fondling
> has been done, there is just no replacement for actually
> being there.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> ------- Original Message -------
> On 4/1/2010 11:19 PM Keith Hood wrote:
> And now for my soapbox moment: why not allow
> telecommuting? You know as well as I that in most jobs, 95%
> of what we do can be done remotely. If the guy in this job
> needs to get hands on a particular model to write about it,
> have him go to the nearest rental yard.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Use Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word, or HTML and
produce desktop, Web, or print deliverables. Just write (or import)
and Doc-To-Help does the rest. Free trial: http://www.doctohelp.com
Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at: http://www.ModernAnalyst.com
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