Tip of the hat to Karen Schriver who showed this video during her talk at the STC conference in Minneapolis last year.
Don’t Call Me Tina
A technical communicator’s notes on the profession
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Tip of the hat to Karen Schriver who showed this video during her talk at the STC conference in Minneapolis last year.
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August 7, 2008 at 3:42 am |
wow, is that for real? That’s crazy. I wonder how many times they taped it before he was able to say it all without error.
August 7, 2008 at 3:50 am |
[...] Why we need technical communicators « Don’t Call Me Tina. Tom Johnson | August 6, 2008 | permalink Tags: jargon, SME’s [...]
August 7, 2008 at 1:24 pm |
This is funny — but how exactly does it argue for better technical communication skills?
The fellow may be using made-up jargon, but it’s no more or less understandable than real jargon. The presentation, in other words, assumes the viewer has some expertise in the subject.
Whether or not a layman understands it is entirely irrelevant. What’s jargon to Jonathan is lingua franca to an specialist.
This guy strikes me as being an excellent communicator. I suspect that, with access to the right SMEs, he could explain the workings of a real machine very well.
For more on the value of jargon, see my post at http://blog.shoap.com/2007/12/06/in-defense-of-jargon/
August 7, 2008 at 2:12 pm |
Thanks Holly! I had to share this on our tech comm blog because it was just too funny not to share it with more people. You rock!
http://forums.blackbaud.com/blogs/documentation/default.aspx
August 7, 2008 at 8:04 pm |
That’s great, especially the bit about the “logarithmic casing”
I’m surprised it doesn’t have panchromatic suspension in the duodenal undercarriage as well.
August 12, 2008 at 7:00 pm |
Sorry for the late response to your comments, folks!
Tom,
No, I believe it was produced as a parody of some other Rockwell videos with very dense technical language.
Thanks for the Writer River plug, too.
Steve,
Yes, you have a point.
But there are many experts who deliberately use complex technical language to intimidate, obscure, or impress.
It’s those instances where a technical communicator is needed.
Lindsey,
thanks for sharing!
David,
You’re too funny.
September 13, 2008 at 12:06 am |
[...] Why We Need Technical Writers Share and Enjoy: [...]
September 29, 2008 at 6:13 am |
Hey buddy…
i am very much impressed abt “logarithmic casing”…………
its cool man…
Techwriters
mail@futuretechwriters.com
October 29, 2008 at 6:06 am |
[...] hands-down, this is the best video to show. Hat tip to Holly Harkness and Karen Shriver for finding [...]