Survey

["Klopfenstein, Ed (AFS)" <EdK -at- ACCU-FAB -dot- COM>]

Jack Bonney wrote:
readers and users remain very dissatisfied with the quality of
documentation and manuals produced throughout business, industry, and
government.


Obviously you've touched a nerve, Jack, by the extent of flaming hate
mail you've produced.

Some of your points, however, have a measure of truth -- some
documentation out there is bad (I am currently revising a not-to-be
named Japanese manufacturer's documentation just so our clients can
understand it).

Nevertheless, your research doesn't seem like research.  Having spent
time as a market analyst for the software industry and having a master's
degree that focused on market analysis, I know you need to:
        1) Present a question that's based on previous research attempted by
other reputable researchers.
        2) ID YOURSELF AND YOUR PURPOSE to your target audience!
        3) Present a measurable list of questions that can be analyzed with a
degree of accuracy.
        4) Attempt to scientifically reach your target audience through (again,
measurable and scientifically acceptable) sampling techniques.


What you've done is present a biased set of information that sets
participants up to either react or support that information.  You're not
going to get good information -- that is, unless you're a marketing
animal hunting for negative "quotes" to give to prospective clients
thinking about buying your company's product.

But you wouldn't do that.   ....    that's immoral and possibly illegal!

Would you?

Ed Klopfenstein

Technical Writer
Accu-Fab Systems, Inc.
Corvallis, OR
http:\\www.accu-fab.com

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>-----Original Message-----
>From:  Don Sargent [SMTP:don -dot- sargent -at- TEMPLATE -dot- COM]
>Sent:  Monday, July 28, 1997 10:01 AM
>To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject:       Odd survey explained
>
>I asked Jack Bonney why he was conducting the survey
>he posted here.  His reply...
>
>
>
>readers and users remain very dissatisfied with the quality of
>documentation and manuals produced throughout business, industry, and
>government.
>
>we have reason to believe that the basic causes of this widespread
>dissatisfaction stems from an inadequate foundation (i.e. basic skill
>set) for doing this kind of work.
>
>"technical writers" have unreasonably placed their faith in software
>packages --  to wit: review all the information and discussion on which
>software package to use or to avoid, their features, etc.
>
>nothing exists that resembles a methodology, rather, most discussion
>centers around "style" as if every manual should be different for some
>unspecified reason --  in fact, there is an annual contest at the
>university of waterloo that gives merit for "best looking manual".
>
>we view this work as a vital aspect of administrative management that
>has been overlooked for far too long  --  in re-engineering a solution
>that should be people-, platform-, and application-independent it is
>necessary to research prevailing opinions, comments, and suggestions
>and  then try to separte fact from fiction.
>
>i look forward to receiving your contributions.
>
>thank you in advance for your consideration and assistance.
>
>sincerely,
>
>jack w. bonney,
>
>vancouver canada
>
>
>--
>Don Sargent
>Template Software, Inc.       "I might only get three strikes in
>Dulles, Virginia             life, but I can hit foul indefinitely."
>sargent -at- template -dot- com                       -- me
>
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