Joel on Software - The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing
How to weed out the 'unwashed masses'? How to discover and hire the brilliant superstars? Read on:
Joel on Software - The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing
Thursday, 18 September 2003
Tuesday, 16 September 2003
The Best e-Learning Sites Links from e-LearningGuru.com
The Best e-Learning Sites Links from e-LearningGuru.com
Monday, 8 September 2003
Blogging and Security
Scott Granneman writes on securityfocus.com about how blogs can be a security pro's best friend.
SecurityFocus BASICS Columnists: Blogs: Another Tool in the Security Pro's Tool
Tuesday, 19 August 2003
Re: [twin] Course Content for Technical Writing
Posted on 11:56 by Unknown
Hi
Your hard skills are okay. But you are not specific when you say 'team
skills' I mean today everyone is expected to be a team player so it is not
necessarily a skill you know? I'd rather focus on specific skills
like 'interviewing skills' and 'survey skills': a tech writer spends lot of
time interviewing subject matter experts and technicians to collect
information.
And on the technical front I strongly recommend they understand and learn
SGML, XML, HTML (stuff like the docbook DTDs is important). They have to
understand Mark up languages in order to write something that can be
published anywhere (cross platform). You may want to add in tools like
robohelp, framemaker PLUS a basic course on 'help' formats (winhelp, java
help, htmlhelp and so on).
A technical writer writes to an audience so her work has to be user-friendly
so you may want to include a primer on usability and usability testing. (I
can provide material on this)
I think a good technical writer is one that is not afraid of code, that is
ready to skim through reams of material, one that loves talking to people,
one that knows the rules of the language and knows when to break them. And
finally one that loves to write. And understand what 'being objective' is.
Hamsila wrote:
>
>Hi All
>
>I have been asked to help develop a post graduate diploma in Technical
>writing. This could possibly train novices in the field or those wishing to
>take up Technical writing as a career.
>
>As I see it, there are two sets of skills required:
>Hard Skills:
> Language
> Tools
> Editing
> Proofreading
>
>Soft Skills:
> Interpersonal skills
> Team skills
> Research skills
> Motivational skills
>
>Is there anything else that could be included?
>
>Regards
>Hamsila
>
>
>
>..........................000000000000................................
>Send messages to: twin@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>Leave TWIN: Send blank email to twin-leave@user.itconsult.co.uk
>Join TWIN: Send blank email to twin-join@user.itconsult.co.uk
>Digest Mode: Send blank email to twin-digest@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>Post Job-Ads: Send job-ad to: twinjobs@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>List Owner: twin-owner@user.itconsult.co.uk
>TWIN Website: http://www.twin-india.org
>TWIN Archive: http://user.itconsult.co.uk/twin/archive/
>
>
>
Your hard skills are okay. But you are not specific when you say 'team
skills' I mean today everyone is expected to be a team player so it is not
necessarily a skill you know? I'd rather focus on specific skills
like 'interviewing skills' and 'survey skills': a tech writer spends lot of
time interviewing subject matter experts and technicians to collect
information.
And on the technical front I strongly recommend they understand and learn
SGML, XML, HTML (stuff like the docbook DTDs is important). They have to
understand Mark up languages in order to write something that can be
published anywhere (cross platform). You may want to add in tools like
robohelp, framemaker PLUS a basic course on 'help' formats (winhelp, java
help, htmlhelp and so on).
A technical writer writes to an audience so her work has to be user-friendly
so you may want to include a primer on usability and usability testing. (I
can provide material on this)
I think a good technical writer is one that is not afraid of code, that is
ready to skim through reams of material, one that loves talking to people,
one that knows the rules of the language and knows when to break them. And
finally one that loves to write. And understand what 'being objective' is.
Hamsila wrote:
>
>Hi All
>
>I have been asked to help develop a post graduate diploma in Technical
>writing. This could possibly train novices in the field or those wishing to
>take up Technical writing as a career.
>
>As I see it, there are two sets of skills required:
>Hard Skills:
> Language
> Tools
> Editing
> Proofreading
>
>Soft Skills:
> Interpersonal skills
> Team skills
> Research skills
> Motivational skills
>
>Is there anything else that could be included?
>
>Regards
>Hamsila
>
>
>
>..........................000000000000................................
>Send messages to: twin@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>Leave TWIN: Send blank email to twin-leave@user.itconsult.co.uk
>Join TWIN: Send blank email to twin-join@user.itconsult.co.uk
>Digest Mode: Send blank email to twin-digest@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>Post Job-Ads: Send job-ad to: twinjobs@user.itconsult.co.uk
>
>List Owner: twin-owner@user.itconsult.co.uk
>TWIN Website: http://www.twin-india.org
>TWIN Archive: http://user.itconsult.co.uk/twin/archive/
>
>
>
Monday, 18 August 2003
Latin Words Used in The English Language
Trust me, you’d feel like an oaf when someone rattles out a Latin phrase like ‘Sine Qua Non’ or ‘Summa Cum Laude’ and it goes over your head. You just grin, not indicating whether you understood the damn phrase or not. That’s definitely not the position I want you in -perverts may ignore the pun- So, here today I bring you a collection of oft-used Latin phrases in English language. Did I hear a collective sigh of relief? All right, all right don’t cry now and tell me ‘Suman What’d we have done without you!’ So, as I walk into the bright orange sun-set like the traditional hero... You guys go take a look at the Latin phrases. It’s ‘Sine Qua Non’ baby!
http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/englatin.htm
write to me: Suman@sumankumar.com
Tuesday, 12 August 2003
Importing Word2000 Documents to RoboHelp HTML
Article on Robohelp Community
Above article in Flash-help format
write to me: Suman@sumankumar.com
Sunday, 10 August 2003
How to hire a 'Future-Proof' Technical Writer
I came across quite a few recruitment ads in the papers and job announcements in mailing lists that ask for a technical writer. It is good to see that the demand for my ilk has shot up. What’s appalling though is the emphasis that the companies place on a tool: ‘should be acquainted with ‘ALL’ features of FrameMaker’ or ‘experience in writing for semi-conductor chips a must’.
Here’s my take:
My complaint is very few of them actually are bothered about writing skills. I know that writing skills alone don’t make a good technical writer. A good perspective of technology and writing (to an audience) skills do.
I’ll speak for the IT industry: A tech writer should NOT be code-phobic. She should have excellent interviewing skills. Should be a friend. Should have a lot of patience (your SME can get on your nerves I am telling you). She must die for her users… (your boss may slap your back and say ‘atta girl! It’s looking great.’ But if your user doesn’t understand what you’ve written or can’t navigate through your documentation, it is not a blot only on your skills, but also on the product). So writing to an audience is something that I’d look for when I am hiring a technical writer.
Let’s go for the tools now:
Tools change. Say that again aloud. And learning a new tool doesn’t take time. I am positive that any good technical writer can pick up FrameMaker in a week’s time. But being an expert at it? Go for a desktop publishing person man.
I have no problems understanding technology; the APIs, the chips, the front-end processing, the database… I’ll understand it all. I’ll interview your SMEs, I’ll study code, and I’ll move mountains to ensure that the technical nitty-gritty is translated into something that your user understands. But don’t go ‘a technical writer with expertise in FrameMaker, RoboHelp, XML, SGML, HTML, Java, C++…’ Gimme a break will ya?
I am not saying that a reasonable level of expertise in popular (they wont remain popular for long though) tools is not required. What I am saying is, if your candidate were good she’d be comfortable in most of the tools. If she’s not an expert in FrameMaker or Snag IT don’t write her off for god’s sake. Don’t pin your technical documentation to a tool. Pin it to a person. A person that understands the trade, the users… as I said, if need be that person will pick up your tool.
Also, it’d be nice if your technical writer knows how to break the rules. I mean I know a lot of writers who guard the English Grammar with talibanistic zeal. If I were you, I’d bother about the ‘usability’ of the error message than its grammatical integrity.
Let’s summarize it: Don’t confuse writing and publishing. They are two different domains. A good writer needn’t be a great publishing expert. Look for a person with a good technical perspective, impeccable writing skills, user-focus and integrity. If I can’t (wont) stand up for my user, I can go home. So my dear reader, the next time you go shopping for a technical writer, remember “Tools change.”
If you listen to me you’ll get yourself a ‘Future-proof’ technical writer. If you didn’t you got yourself a Johnny. And I won’t be surprised. ;-)
Related Links:
FrameMaker
RoboHelp
SnagIt
AuthorIT
Irfanview
HTML Kit
Swish
[Note: There are a million tools out there. I have listed what I use.]
write to me: Suman@sumankumar.com
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