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ENOUGH ALREADY:Re: Technical Writing, Training and QA ... and Law Firms
Subject:ENOUGH ALREADY:Re: Technical Writing, Training and QA ... and Law Firms From:"Robert B Kennedy" <bobbykennedy44 -at- home -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:01:43 -0500
BTW Kent,
I work 8 hours at a company.
2 Hours on the Amtrak.
1-2 Hours every night
(blowing tonight writing this.)
And, God Bless America,
I don't work for a .gov.
Hugs and Kisses,
Bobby
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christensen, Kent" <lkchris -at- sandia -dot- gov>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 11:26 AM
Subject: RE: Technical Writing, Training and QA ... and Law Firms
> re: A poster summarizes his thread regarding "... why we have been
> resistant to taking on additional training assignments." He notes "Our
fear
> is that training will take precedence over the technical writing and that
> our documentation will suffer as a result."
>
> So ... while of course "hours in a day" is often a problem and is one that
> can be sometimes but not always addressed by working smarter, these
> statement beg for the response that tech writers should think more
globally
> (and perhaps even agree to take meeting minutes). I suggest that anyone
who
> sees themselves as a technical writer whereby s/he produces products that
> explain the use of her/his firm's products should also see her/himself as
> ...
>
> a marketeer for their firm's products
> a trainer on use of their firm's products.
>
> That's how your management likely sees you. Your management doesn't care
a
> whit about the "my major is better than your major" prejudice they taught
> you at college.
>
> Given this, it makes sense to suggest that tech writers can really benefit
> from knowledge available in other courses of study such as marketing and
> education. It seems rather self-defeating not to, and in my mind at least
> it makes you look a bit foolish when you express this sort of resistance.
> Continuing education is expected of professionals. I think the excuse
"it's
> not my job" is not available to tech writers.
>
> Then there is ...
>
> AH! BUT, just read the last bullet! (As if the long commute into NYC
wasn't
> enough!) [Bullet:] Able to work evenings and weekends, when required.
>
> ... from another poster who fears working for lawyers. (Their clients,
> actually.)
>
> Timecard punching 9-5 and "it's not my job" both. Woo hoo. Nice work if
> you can get it (ha!), but I think this does not describe tech writing. At
> least not well paid, professional tech writing. It's interesting to me
that
> in both instances management's expectations of its employees seems to go
> beyond the tech writers' own self images. What then is the role of the
> list?
>
>
>
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/
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