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.
I think a task orientation helps us over this hurdle:
1. Try to clearly identify the most common tasks the audience brings to the
project. Document those in an instructional manner. For other, more difficult
tasks, refer to other resources, specs, experts, appendices, etc.
2. Decide what you don't have to teach your target audience, e.g., skills all
of them are expected to have.
3. Try to reach everyone in the target audience, with language simple and
ample enough for the new users.
We don't have to tell customers everything there is to know about a
technology. We have to tell them how to get the thing up and running and how
to do the most common tasks.
Bill DuBay
Technical Writer
Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
email: bill_dubay -at- phoenix -dot- com
(714)790-2049 FAX: (714)790-2001 http://www.phoenix.com
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
