Re: Credibility (WAS: Texts on Grammar)

[Beth Agnew <bagnew -at- INSYSTEMS -dot- COM>]

The possibly easily-delighted Jason wrote in part:

>But I firmly believe that, if we do our jobs well, we do in some small
>way delight the user. I know that I am delighted when, while trying to
>achieve a specific result with an application, I turn to the manual and,
>lo, the info is there and I can continue on my merry way.

Well put. It's part of our mission statement of "delight" our customers.
Part of achieving credibility is in meeting expectations. When users have
little expectation of finding an answer in the manuals, they indeed are
delighted when the thing they're looking up is there. I think it's our job
as techwriters not only to exceed expectations, but to build in that delight
factor. It's those "extras" in a manual -- index entries that anticipate
user's words for things, illustrative rather than imitative graphics, and so
on -- that make manuals stand out from shoddy competitors.

Of course, once we start raising the bar, as has been happening in this
profession over the last few years, then users start to demand that greater
level of usability. That ought to keep us on our toes.

--Beth

Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc.
65 Allstate Parkway, Suite 100  Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 9X1        Fax: (905) 513-1419
mailto:bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com    Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com

See my friendly face at:
http://www.bayside.net/users/cbsites/techwr-l/a.htm#agnewb

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