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I was brought into a client to help establish the standards - tools etc -
for an existing tech pubs group. I decided to use the MS style guide because
that was the one I chose. The manager of the group and her boss thought that
was fine. I created the Frame templates for the writers, again with the
approval of the higher ups. (the group had never had either a consistent
look or a style guide) Decisions made, let's implement them.
We had one writer who consistently fought me. She didn't agree with the
style guide. She didn't like the template and wanted to make her own
changes. I just kept telling her - in the nicest possible way - that it was
nice that she didn't like these things. But it didn't matter because these
were the standards the group was using. When she went home, she could write
her own stuff using any template she liked, with any style guide she liked.
But while she was working for her employer, this was the way it was. Period.
Over a year later, she was still being subversive and trying to do things
her way. I would have fired her but that was beyond my scope as the
consultant. It caused the manager no end of headache, trying to make this
woman work with the group, instead of subverting every effort. Her work had
to be checked and corrected all the time. I would not have put that much
effort into working with her. As far as I know, she is still there.
sharon
Sharon Burton-Hardin
Anthrobytes Consulting
909-369-8590
www.anthrobytes.com
Vice-president, Programs of the Inland Empire chapter of the STC
www.iestc.org
| I have a counter to this, what about style guides that just change based
on
| what the TE and his/her boss decide is the latest way to do things? I was
| in this situation once. One week the Style Guide would say one thing, the
| next something else entirely. Suzanne is absolutely right however, the TE
| and the Style Guide are usually the arbiter of style and function, if you
| can make your case without spilling blood then it's probably the best you
| can do. After all, it IS just a job. Once you find yourself taking the
job
| home with you, you need to move on.
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