I am enrolled in a technical writing class which is part of my degree plan for computer programming. I have to interview a person in my field of study and have a few questions answered. I would really appreciate if someone could help me with these few questions.

1. What kinds of documents and presentations can you expect to produce on the job and for what audiences and purposes?

2. What types of global audiences can you expect?

3. Hom much of your writing will be transmitted in electronic forms (web sites, intranets, and so on?)

I've gotten help here before on programming questions, so I knew this would be the best place to have my questions answered! Thanks in advance!

First, you need THIS question answered:

I work with a branch of the United States Dept. of Defense, Dept. of the Navy. So my documentation will to some degree adhere to US DOD/DON standards. It is important to know the audience. But you want to know the overview, not the details.

OK, Q#1. I can expect to make few presentations but many documents. Since my computer work involves the Operations crew, I will have to produce

a. An Operator's manual, short on theory of internals but very much detail on how to use the programs as intended, plus some error-message tables to show expected error messages and remedial steps. Probably would need some screen-shots and diagrams. Intended for the Ops crew, which usually involves people with less technical background, less formal education, but a certain level of comfort in operating the equipment. Data entry clerks, night-shift operators, and similar for this audience.

b. A Maintainer's manual, much stronger on theory of operation, details of the data structures, and fairly brief on the command options. Where any major choices were made, this would include WHY option X was used rather than option Y. (E.g. speed vs. size tradeoff would be listed as why the program is a hulking - but very fast - pig.) Trained programmers and designers would use this document. This is also the document for which you advise them to get prescription-strength caffeine tablets while reading it.

Q#2. In my particular environment, my biggest audience might span a few hundred people tops. However, in a previous job, I had to write something for audiences nation-wide (but in a narrow industry.)

Q#3. The "official" copy of everything will be transmitted and stored on some digital media, probably CD but that is subject to change. However, not less than one departmental copy would always be provided in print form of the Operator's guide, to be bound via 3-ring or spiral binding, in which form it would sit on the shelf until needed.

FAO Doc Man.

I am surprised at your willingness to provide consise and succinct answers to a person who simply wants to pass an exam. My response would have been RTFM or STFW. Not that I have taken any exams lately, however I have employed/interviewed such people only to discover that their knowledge of the real world and sudden decision making was not comparable with the grades achieved.

CodeMaster::cool:

I agree it's alway a tricky subject as to whether we answer students questions. Some students are clearly just fishing for a quick solution.

In this instance I think the student is justified asking for input from real people (the more the better). It will help him/her build his/her understanding of the real world. Some lecturers at my univeristy had never actually worked in the real world:eek: Books give limited, specific and idealistic examples often just to make a point.

I like Doc's approach as he has given his experience as an example. Clearly the student can't just copy this (unless they are stupid!). My advice to the student would be to compare this with other real life examples.

Chris

Agreed, Chris. The OP was up front about what he needed (unlike most students) and it is clearly a subjective answer type thing. Where most students want you to design/code/test/implement/support their homework, this is just a questionnaire with as many different possible answers as there are people who would answer it. When I saw it, I thought it was on the wrong forum but clearly The Doc Man was a perfect candidate.

In line with the above comments I stand corrected. As soon as I saw the title of the thread I jumped the gun without actually reading the whole post. Likewise I briefly scanned the Doc Man's reply. In all fairness they were not expecting a full turnkey system.

David

Yeah, it would be different if next week we see him posting again asking someone to design his work for him.