OT: Writing/editing style

[Steve Rickaby]

At 11:31 -0600 10/8/06, Tammy.VanBoening at jeppesen.com wrote:

>My editor has removed the "if necessary" phrase saying that they are extra
>words and that the user will eventually figure out that sometimes they
>don't need to open the tab - that it is already open. This seems
>counter-productive to me. We don't want the user to "eventually figure
>something out" in a User's guide - isn't the whole purpose of the guide to
>figure stuff out for the user?

Tammy - you, and the other respondents, have elucidated some of the key problems of technical writing. The bottom line is that it's very hard, or impossible, to write for multiple audiences. I am currently working on manuals for non-computer-literate people, and I have taken exactly the approach you took, with an 'if necessary': here the requirement was that each procedure be complete and stand-alone.

As others have commented, the opposite, minimalist end of the techdoc spectrum involves giving users just enough information to allow them to figure things out for themselves. Taking such as approach with novices or non-tecchies, however, would probably result in anger, frustration and a deluged help-desk. Horses for courses.

Sooo... by deleting your 'if necessary', your editor is implicitly shifting the intended user spectrum. Time for a meeting with all interested  parties to discuss this, maybe?

-- 
Steve