TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Personal development plan From:Bill Swallow <bill_swallow -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 12 Mar 2001 16:18:25 -0800 (PST)
> I have been asked by my manager to create a personal
> development plan.
> Somehow I do not think "come in, do my job, and
> leave" will fly. Has
> anyone else completed one? What was included? Is
> there anyone willing to
> show me an example? Thanks in advance.
"Come in, do my job, and leave" is not a development
plan. It's a schedule (a weak one).
What your manager is looking for is a progression of
skill building and project acheivement. Something
like:
1. Become acquainted with the product enough to be
able to write about it.
2. Become a "power-user" of whatever technology you'll
be using to write your documentation (basically, get
good enough that using the tool doesn't get in the way
of the writing).
3. Eventually say "we should develop online help" or
"we should publish electronic copies to our servers"
and pick up a HAT (help authoring tool) and/or
Acrobat.
4. Eventually look to the Web as another means of
publishing.
Of course I have no idea if this even fits your
company's product and purpose. Basically, figure out
what it is your company needs now, what you can
provide now, and then what your company will need from
you in, oh, say 5 years, and the steps you need to
take to get there. Mark milestones on the plan to keep
yourself on mark.
=====
Bill Swallow
Information Design & Development Professional
bill_swallow -at- yahoo -dot- com - www.geocities.com/bill_swallow
List Owner, HATT <www.groups.yahoo.com/group/hatt>
List Owner, WWP-Users <www.groups.yahoo.com/group/wwp-users>
Editor, InFrame Magazine <www.inframe-mag.com>
WebWorks Wizard
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices. http://auctions.yahoo.com/
IPCC 01, the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference,
October 24-27, 2001 at historic La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
CALL FOR PAPERS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
