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RubyConf 2016 - You Have the Empathy of a Goat: Documenting for the User by Tara Scherner De La Fuente Are you the sort of developer who makes the user want to headbutt the computer or hop happily sideways? Documentation is often one of the least favorite activities of a developer, and it’s probably always going to suck for some people. But it doesn’t have to give you the bleat-down. We’ll cover: how to discover what the user wants, how to convey what the user needs, what we’re doing wrong, and then we’ll outline the winning formula. If things go really well with your empathetic documentation, you can reduce costs, justify a salary increase, and even become famous. No, really. I’m not KIDding.
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In her RubyConf 2016 keynote titled "You Have the Empathy of a Goat: Documenting for the User," Tara Scherner De La Fuente discusses the often overlooked but crucial topic of documentation within the software development process. The presentation humorously emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and creating empathetic documentation that caters to both current and future users. Here are the key points discussed throughout the talk: - **User-Centric Documentation**: Producers of documentation should focus on the end user, which includes future developers who may work with the code. This perspective helps create clear, accessible documentation. - **The Role of Documentation**: Documentation is not just about formal writing; it encompasses comments within code, Git commit messages, and pull requests. Effective documentation can save time by reducing the need for meetings and clarifying misunderstandings. - **Empathetic Engagement**: De La Fuente highlights the value of understanding the user’s experience through observation. By witnessing how users interact with software, developers can spot inefficiencies and improve product usability. - **Interactive Anecdotes**: De La Fuente uses her experience observing a colleague struggling with a CSV loading problem to illustrate potential documentation shortcomings and the need for clarity in the process. - **Effective Writing Practices**: She emphasizes writing shorter sentences, avoiding jargon, and putting critical information at the beginning of documentation. The importance of good commit messages is also underscored, as they should transparently detail what changes were made and why. - **Continuous Improvement**: The talk encourages developers to view documentation as an ongoing process rather than a one-off task, sharing tips for revising and improving documentation over time. - **Professional Benefits of Good Documentation**: Good documentation can lead to reduced costs and increased professional recognition, showcasing how contributions to documentation can enhance career prospects. Overall, Tara encourages developers to embrace documentation as an integral part of their work, ultimately helping to strengthen user experiences and project outcomes. The use of humor and relatable stories serves to make her points more engaging, highlighting that good documentation is less about the technicalities and more about meeting user needs effectively.
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