How do you define your audience/"user requirements" in your docs, to the reader?

[John Posada]

>> nor do I have a clear idea of how to define my target user--to the
reader.

You don't have to define your target reader to your user. If they picked up
the manual and are getting use from it, they ARE the target. What you need
to do is to not miss ones you should, and not waste time writing for someone
who couldn't care. By having an accurate understanding of who will be
pickikng it up, it will be written for them when they do.

I like to do this by defining personas, then write to the ones that apply.

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
NYMetro STC President and Program Chair
- Said the Zen master to the hot dog vendor "Make me one with everything."

On 4/2/08, Leonard C. Porrello <Leonard.Porrello at soleratec.com> wrote:
>
> All,
>
> I was wondering how to deal with the challenge of defining my target
> audience explicitly--in my docs, to the reader. I have hardware and software
> requirements, but I do not have "user requirements," nor do I have a clear
> idea of how to define my target user--to the reader. I have the standard,
> "This user's guide is intended for users and system administrators," and
> while "system administrators" is useful, "users" isn't saying much.
>
> Thoughts?