New things new ways--Follow up

[JohnBrin <johnbrin -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

This is a follow-up to two messages I posted to this list. The first
asked, "Grammar and rhetoric, Is that all there is?" The second was
about "Doing new things new ways."

Both of these messages suggested discussion about these three topics:
(1) Combining the development of training and documentation.
(2) Training being on-going, available to users when and where it is
needed, rather than being an event or series of events.
(3) Technical communicators bringing the users's world of work to the
product development process from the beginning to the end.

I believe all three of these situations are going to confront we
technical communicators whether we want them to or not, and whether
we think they should or not. Technology and new ways of doing
business will bring these things to pass.

Especially new ways of doing business. Only lean, mean, competitive
businesses can succeed in the new global business environment. No
longer will business or their customers be able to afford using
technology only to do old things new ways.

Since I brought them up, I have noted about 45 messages related to
these topics (on the list or e-mailed to me). Over half were about
topic (1). About 1/3 were about topic (3). Only two were about topic
(2) and both seemed to me to be skeptical.

I'll elaborate further on all three topics. Look for a posting on
topic (1) in the next day or so. I'll follow with (2) and (3) later.

I want to make it clear that I am expressing only my own opinions.

John Brinegar
Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.