RE: A step up, a step down

["Beilby, Margaret" <MBeilby -at- ebuilt -dot- com>]

>>Any one know why a step down?<<

I've been a technical writer for 20 years. Most of the companies that I've
worked for see technical writers and technical writing departments as the
"ugly stepchildren." I mean, technical writers aren't really necessary
because everyone can write a clear sentence or a procedure--let the
programmers write the documentation. It's a lot like someone who thinks he
can be a race car driver because he can drive a car on the freeway. However,
over the last 20 years the attitude towards technical writers has been
slowly changing. People are beginning to realize that writing, like
programming, is a skill that not everyone can do well. 

At the company I currently work for, the technical writers and technical
writing department have the total support of the entire senior management
team. That attitude trickles down through the entire company and is well
respected and our skills are highly regarded. As a matter of fact, NOTHING
goes out of the company without going through one of the technical writers.
This is company policy and it is enforced. It makes a lot of work for all of
us but we don't really mind (keeps us employed). Additionally, the writers
are involved in all projects from the very beginning (proposal to final
system documentation). It delights me when the project managers make sure
the developers get the source documentation to us and make sure they review
the docs before they go to the client.

As a small company (97) doing Web application development, we've had our
share of problems (two layoffs in the last 6 months). In spite of that, I
stay here because it's still the best game in town.

Margaret
mbeilby -at- ebuilt -dot- com       


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Planning to attend IPCC 01, October 24-27 in Santa Fe?  Sign up by
October 3 and get a substantial discount!  Program information, 
online registration, and more on http://ieeepcs.org/2001/

+++  Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation.  See us at  +++
  +++  Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion  +++
  +++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.com  http://www.miramo.com +++

---
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.