Shiny object syndrome in Technical Writing

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    Follow the industry trends, but do not follow them blindly. Some of us are obsessed with new tools and trends and constantly yearn to shift to the trending tools. It is as if we are not modern and are left behind if we are not doing what a few others are doing.

I have observed this trend in our preference for the authoring tools to use for Technical Writing. There is no silver bullet tool that will solve all our problems. Some Technical Writing tools are best suited for collaboration and reusability but are hard to set up and maintain. Some of the tools are especially suited for desktop publishing but do not support collaboration. Every commercially successful authoring tool has its unique USP and is the best, but users make the real difference and not the tools.

A company may not benefit by shifting between tools very often. There will be some new trends each year, and it may not be viable to keep changing the tools used for authoring each year. Be innovative and also be conservative with your money. Try to leverage what you already have. Some great tools are not very glamorous. Some of them may not be trend any longer, but you need not abandon something when it is working for you.

I have worked with people who are constantly after the 'new' tool. They unnecessarily increase costs for the company without bringing any demonstrable benefit. Call it shiny object syndrome in Technical Writing. Talking a lot about tools does not demonstrate any competency.

A typical good Technical Writer is a bit introvert; hardworking but still less visible. A good Technical Writer is not desperate to demonstrate skills. The writing process starts with knowing that you do not know, and so you need to find out about the product and write about it. A good Technical Writer is not afraid of saying I do not know. A Technical Writer tries hard to ask good and knowledgeable questions but may sometimes ask dumb questions in trying to learn about a product. Technical Writer does not need to know about every tool and every technology but must have the confidence to explore and find out by putting oneself in the shoes of a user.

Integrity is paramount in Technical Writing. Because if a Technical Writer is going to mess up something, people will never know it! Respect a Technical Writer who focuses on the job without trying to demonstrate knowledge. The Technical Writer speaks through the writing.

Effects of shiny object syndrome

People who become obsessed with things and ideas that look new and trendy may derail a business, finances, and even personal life. It is good to have a natural curiosity for new things, and at the same time, we have an equal responsibility to identify if it works for us. Being a Technical Writer, I have seen other fellow Technical Writers and managers who think that bringing in a new tool will do magic for the work, but the outcomes are dismal and not so encouraging.

A child gets distracted and runs behind a new toy, but the good thing is we can discipline children. It is hard to restrain adults who let themselves run behind things that are shiny and attractive. It is not required to give examples of entrepreneurs who are overenthusiastic and invested heavily in ventures they do not understand fully.

Shiny object syndrome creates a frenzy that we are left behind if we are not doing something others are doing. Everyone wants to cash on the opportunity, but it is wise not to go behind the hype. Any new plan must be a mini-plan as part of a long-term plan, with swift correction of any deviations. There is no offense in being a bit laid-off and taking it easy or in being a bit conservating when what we are going to do is leading to committing time and resources. The point is not to give in to the hype.

One of the fabled examples of shiny object syndrome is from the Hindu epic Ramayan. Seetha exhorts Rama to chase the golden deer without realizing that the golden deer can only be an illusion at best. Noble, virtuous, high, and mighty also fall prey to this syndrome.

Delayed gratification

You have a new idea very often, but wait till the idea matures. Pick from the pool of ideas after carefully considering all the alternatives. It is better to experiment on a small scale and measure the results before investing in it.

Be smart and do the things which others do at a lesser cost. It starts with realizing that you have limited money and resources. The same thing applies even to the rich and mega-corporations. They are rich because they are careful with what they do. They do not buy everything that they feel like buying. They rationalize their needs just like the ordinary middle-class people who are anxious to do well. The only difference is in the size of the budget. Without such discipline, they can't remain at the top for long.

Delay a decision until you are sure that it is the only thing right under your circumstances. Be even more conservative with your words. Words and missiles work the same way; you can't retract after use. A single careless word or phrase can undo a relationship. 

Be flexible with your opinions. I can debate either way on any subject. There is merit in every viewpoint. I will not cling to any political views that would take away my flexibility in negotiations. I can work across the spectrum irrespective of their political leanings and ideologies. Kindness and empathy are infinitely more important than 'correct' opinions.

Keep your impulses under check. 

busy vs. productive

Look for better ways to achieve the same outcome is more important than working hard. Too busy people holdup people and resources and bring down productivity. It is like traffic congestion; everyone gets delayed when there are too many vehicles on the road. Everyone too busy would mean less productivity.

The same task can take 10x longer when everyone is too busy and preoccupied, because of which we are unable to gather all the inputs at once. Everyone can face persistent delays because of a lack of good coordination. Every task gets delayed, and the waiting time increases for everyone. It goes on cyclically till it feels like a complete clog, and finally, we end up accomplishing only just enough to say we have done something after everyone has spent an inordinately long time on their tasks.

Things come to naught when we are too preoccupied to know and understand others. A team or family can fall apart because of a lack of understanding and coordination. People may feel the impulse to pinpoint and blame others. For long-term longevity, work more on yourself than you work on the tasks.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. - Abraham Lincoln

Plan exchange of ideas, relaxation, recreation, exercise, and change of activities parallel to work. Do not get buried in the heap of tasks.

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The ability to learn is the key to survival. We can learn faster by learning from each other.

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