[BC] Do We Still Like Our Jobs?

[Rob Atkinson]

Usually because the company making the product is relatively small.  There 
are a lot of mfrs. making highly specialized products for broadcasting, 
recording, rfi suppression and so on, that are pretty much made up of design 
engineers, with a few people doing the accounting, phone answering and 
correspondence and shipping.   they don't have, or can't afford, or don't 
think about getting a professional tech. writer to work with the product, 
talk with the engineers, and take the manual they have written, and polish 
it into something that makes sense.   These companies just get the engineers 
to write the manuals, maybe even as almost an afterthought.  then there is 
some hurry to get the product to market.  by now, the engineer may be sick 
of the whole thing, and not too thrilled about doing the writing.   they do 
their best, but may not be good writers to begin with, and are so familiar 
with the product that a lot of information isn't included because to them, 
it is basic knowledge and they don't realize it isn't  always obvious to the 
customer.    this happens for example with alphabet soup initialisms, 
buzzwords, and acronyms.     No matter, the company runs off the manual and 
out the door it goes ("We can do a better manual later on").

OTOH, really big consumer electronics companies that make millions of units 
and sell to the masses can afford whole departments of writers.  that's why 
you get a manual for even a flashlight that is written to make you feel as 
dumb as a rock ("Move the switch to on.  The light will now come on.  To 
turn it off, move the switch to off.    Warning:  Do not swallow the 
lightbulb as gastrointestinal tract injury may result.")

rob atkinson

<<<I don't know why manuals can't be written CLEARLY.  But I digress...>>>

_________________________________________________________________
Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! 
http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/