Comments on: Creativity in the Workplace http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/ The Latest Trends in Technical Communication Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:22:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MobiStealth http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-164516 MobiStealth Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:31:28 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-164516 Very Interesting thoughts you express through this post. I appreciate your thoughtful writing about creativity.. anyway in my point of view if anyone like challenging work it means he is creative person. Very Interesting thoughts you express through this post. I appreciate your thoughtful writing about creativity.. anyway in my point of view if anyone like challenging work it means he is creative person.

]]> By: More passion about creativity « Kai's Tech Writing Blog http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-148120 More passion about creativity « Kai's Tech Writing Blog Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:24:30 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-148120 [...] discussion about the creativity in technical writing continues, see Tom Johnson’s post “Creativity in the Workplace” and the [...] [...] discussion about the creativity in technical writing continues, see Tom Johnson’s post “Creativity in the Workplace” and the [...]

]]> By: gauge cluster http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-148014 gauge cluster Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:06:08 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-148014 I think this is a good post as i am a programmer i felt boring after doing some work. I think this is a good post as i am a programmer i felt boring after doing some work.

]]> By: sticker printing http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-145877 sticker printing Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:52:02 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-145877 You explained all the things well but i need to know that what kind of activities can be challenging because i m doing content writing along with i managing a team of 12 people at work, i think that keeps me much busy at workplace and if i get some time i start blogging like i m doing right now, so is it what you called challenging. You explained all the things well but i need to know that what kind of activities can be challenging because i m doing content writing along with i managing a team of 12 people at work, i think that keeps me much busy at workplace and if i get some time i start blogging like i m doing right now, so is it what you called challenging.

]]> By: Kai http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143708 Kai Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:22:21 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143708 Tom, thank you for your comment. I agree it's that problem-solving attitude that keeps me on my toes and in the "flow", whether the problem waiting to be solved is explaining the application or addressing the users' benefits. Tom, thank you for your comment. I agree it’s that problem-solving attitude that keeps me on my toes and in the “flow”, whether the problem waiting to be solved is explaining the application or addressing the users’ benefits.

]]> By: Tom http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143702 Tom Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:05:59 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143702 Kai, I enjoyed your guest post and left <a href="http://www.dmncommunications.com/weblog/?p=1330#comment-2291">a comment</a> on it. I think the key to making technical writing interesting is to approach it from a problem-solving mindset. As long as I'm solving problems rather than just writing instructions, it does make the work more engaging. Kai, I enjoyed your guest post and left a comment on it. I think the key to making technical writing interesting is to approach it from a problem-solving mindset. As long as I’m solving problems rather than just writing instructions, it does make the work more engaging.

]]> By: Kai http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143617 Kai Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:40:52 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143617 It makes some sort of abstract sense to me, but I just don't experience the actual writing as boring at all... For example: "... need to figure out how the application works, but once you've done that, merely transcribing how to do tasks in the system can make you start yawning. There are no more problems to solve." I'm afraid that's true. If I was yawning while transcribing the tasks, I couldn't blame the user for yawning when he reads my writing. The way I see it, figuring out the app is only the first step. But then my real job starts: Putting myself in the user's shoes to show him how to use the app right and to his benefit. How the app is only the means to an end. How the app connects the user to a noble ideal behind it or at least to an efficient process. And this is just as much a problem-solving aspect to me: Am I finding the most concise, most elegant, most efficient way to tell my readers how to get the most out of the app? Sometimes it takes the fourth iteration of the same re-used procedure to find yet a better way of putting it. To me, that's all about finding "the best way to organize the content, designing the navigation (through my text) with usability in mind." That's why technical writing is my Creative Passion. More in my guest post on DMN Communications: http://www.dmncommunications.com/weblog/?p=1330 It makes some sort of abstract sense to me, but I just don’t experience the actual writing as boring at all…

For example: “… need to figure out how the application works, but once you’ve done that, merely transcribing how to do tasks in the system can make you start yawning. There are no more problems to solve.”

I’m afraid that’s true. If I was yawning while transcribing the tasks, I couldn’t blame the user for yawning when he reads my writing.

The way I see it, figuring out the app is only the first step. But then my real job starts: Putting myself in the user’s shoes to show him how to use the app right and to his benefit. How the app is only the means to an end. How the app connects the user to a noble ideal behind it or at least to an efficient process.

And this is just as much a problem-solving aspect to me: Am I finding the most concise, most elegant, most efficient way to tell my readers how to get the most out of the app? Sometimes it takes the fourth iteration of the same re-used procedure to find yet a better way of putting it.

To me, that’s all about finding “the best way to organize the content, designing the navigation (through my text) with usability in mind.”

That’s why technical writing is my Creative Passion. More in my guest post on DMN Communications: http://www.dmncommunications.com/weblog/?p=1330

]]> By: Friday Link Post « Steve Rides a Bike http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143607 Friday Link Post « Steve Rides a Bike Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:14:51 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143607 [...] Creativity in the Workplace I’m not a technical writer, but I can relate to this post. “In other words, one measure of creativity at your job is whether you’re solving challenging problems all day. If you’re not presented with these problems, then most likely you’re talking on the phone instead. (Keeping yourself busy with e-mail, Twitter, IM, and other online chatter is the equivalent of talking on the phone.)” [...] [...] Creativity in the Workplace I’m not a technical writer, but I can relate to this post. “In other words, one measure of creativity at your job is whether you’re solving challenging problems all day. If you’re not presented with these problems, then most likely you’re talking on the phone instead. (Keeping yourself busy with e-mail, Twitter, IM, and other online chatter is the equivalent of talking on the phone.)” [...]

]]> By: Alistair Christie http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143581 Alistair Christie Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:08:18 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143581 Reading through the comments above makes me realise that the main downside to being a Documentation Manager rather than a full-time, at-the-coalface tech writer, is that you miss out on most of that creative, go-figure-it-out fun. :-( Reading through the comments above makes me realise that the main downside to being a Documentation Manager rather than a full-time, at-the-coalface tech writer, is that you miss out on most of that creative, go-figure-it-out fun.

:-(

]]> By: Renga http://idratherbewriting.com/2009/09/01/creativity-in-the-workplace/comment-page-1/#comment-143579 Renga Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:51:29 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=4661#comment-143579 Yes, rarely very few Technical Writers(TW) enjoy their work. This is because they became TW by chance not by choice I believe. Problem solving is one of the key feature a TW should possess. Believe me the moment you see things works fine in an authoring tool, the kind of happiness we get cannot be explained in words. Isn't Tom..? :) ANother nice psot Tom, thanks. Yes, rarely very few Technical Writers(TW) enjoy their work. This is because they became TW by chance not by choice I believe.

Problem solving is one of the key feature a TW should possess. Believe me the moment you see things works fine in an authoring tool, the kind of happiness we get cannot be explained in words. Isn’t Tom..? :)

ANother nice psot Tom, thanks.

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