FWD: Venting about reviewing

[anonfwd -at- raycomm -dot- com]

Way back when I had an argument with a couple of SMEs about making changes
to documentation: they didn't like it when I did things to their perfect
prose. I set up a tracking system: they didn't like it "too heavy, too
structured". What they wanted (they told me emphatically) was, the moment
I got the documentation, to switch on Track Changes and that way they
would know exactly where I made a change and would be able to review,
properly, all the changes I made to their <cough> perfect prose.

I pointed out (to them and to the project leader) that if I switched on
Track Changes right at the start, there would be a change bar beside
almost every paragraph. "Not a problem," they said.

I pointed out (to my manager) that complaining when I edited their prose
into adequate and consistent English was basically complaining that I was
doing my job, and he sighed, nodded, agreed, and suggested that for this
one project, since they were so keen to take ownership of the
documentation, I let them.

So: I did what they asked. I passed back the document this morning. There
is, yes, a change bar beside (not quite every paragraph) about 70% of the
text - hyperlinks added, inconsistencies smoothed out, spelling errors and
grammatical errors corrected, and occasionally rewrites to expand and
clarify.

Are they happy? Of course not. "Too many changes! This is going to take me
too long to review!" Subtext: "This is too much like HARD WORK!"

Sheesh....

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