Doctor Strange – Insights into Technical Documentation

by Marion Knebel on November 02, 2016

What is the connection between a movie based on a comic and technical documentation? You might think there is none. But on Saturday I was delightfully surprised to find that Dr. Strange is an advocator of good documentation. Last Saturday was marvel-lous.

WARNING: DANGER OF SPOILERS!

WARNING: DANGER OF SPOILERS!

This blog article may contain spoilers.
Spoilers may ruin your movie experience and potentially result in physical retaliation against the author of this article.

Just a joke. This article will of course not contain any major spoilers, that is, we will not disclose any details that are relevant to the story or ending of the movie. The good guy wins, the bad guy loses, that much is for sure anyway.

I digress. Back to technical documentation. In the movie, there is a secret book in the library that describes some rituals with the potential to shatter the world, including some tempering with time and other dimensions. You know, stuff that sorcerers do on an average day. The hero starts reading and immediately goes into action – without reading the instructions until the end, of course. Just before something really bad is about to happen, he is stopped by his tutors. They warn him about the dangers ahead and ask if he hasn’t read the warnings. Doctor Strange answers that he didn’t get so far and why are the warnings placed at the end anyway? In other words, had the author consulted with a technical writer, the warnings would have been placed where they belong: before the steps that potentially wreak havoc.

https://youtu.be/HSzx-zryEgM

Thank you Doctor Strange for the entertaining introduction into well-structured procedures.

On a side note: The villain tempered with the rituals as well and did not read the warnings either. However, who knows how the story would have ended if he had ...

 

Image source:

Gefahrzeichen © Reeel. Fotolia.com

Add new comment

Your email address will not be published.

You might also be interested in

Digital Product Passport – What manufacturers need to know and prepare now

by Gernot Baumann on September 11, 2024

In July 2024, the Ecodesign Regulation replaced the Ecodesign Directive in the EU to improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of products through stricter requirements. The regulation covers a wide range of products such as household appliances, electronics, and lighting, and is part of the EU's strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and promote a circular economy.

One part of this regulation is the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which is designed to ensure transparent traceability throughout a product's lifecycle. The DPP is still in draft form. It is being developed by the German Federal Office for the Environment and Nature Conservation and will be mandatory for manufacturers of certain products. more...

Shaping energy trading standards with Energy Traders Europe

September 05, 2024

Since 2016, we have been supporting Energy Traders Europe (formerly EFET) in the standardization of data exchange in the energy trading industry. By providing technical writing and developing data models, we are helping to make the industry’s data reconciliation more efficient and future-proof. more...

Technical documentation – why it matters and how to create it

by parson on August 20, 2024

For suppliers and for users of technical equipment, processes, or systems, technical documentation is critical f. But what exactly is technical documentation? When do we need it and when is it even mandatory? How can you efficiently create high-quality technical documentation as a manufacturer? This article will answer these questions. more...

tekom regional group Munich on June 27: AI in technical communication: Use cases, legal aspects, and the future of our profession

June 05, 2024

AI applications such as ChatGPT are disrupting traditional text and image generation and will have a profound impact on technical communication.

In her presentation, Ulrike Parson will give an overview of current developments in AI and possible applications of AI in the creation and use of technical documentation, using examples from various systems. She will also discuss legal aspects such as the AI Act and the implications for our profession. more...