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Subject:RE: How to fend off a tech writer From:"Anita Lewis" <anital -at- threerivers-cams -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 9 May 2002 17:00:17 -0500
John said, "If, on the other hand, I read the spec, I try out the code,
and I go to one of the developers and ask "I was checking out the latest
build, and I see that the Frammis function is done slightly different
than the spec, and I see it's more like what XYZ Corp (a competitor) is
doing - are you gonna do that in the other 15 places where it appears
too?" I am asking an intelligent question, a question that shows I have
done my homework, a question that shows I am aware, and I am thinking."
In my small company, there is no such thing as specs, or a test
environment (have to use the dev product to test, constantly being
tossed out), or code. Well, obviously, there's code, but it's locked up
tighter than a drum. No one gets at it except the developers. What I
have to do is figure out how it works (or is supposed to work) by
playing with it and comparing it to a) our older product and b) general
knowledge of how clients want/do/would want to use the product. Then,
based on that, I formulate my questions/suggestions. From that point
I'm not really supposed to ask someone directly... I have to enter it
into our automatically helpdesk system, which is supposed to be
monitored by the developers. If they don't respond within a day, then I
throw an email "out there" to a distribution of all the developers and
hope somebody bites. If not, then I print out my email and HAND it to
the lead developer, and he will either answer my questions right then
and there, or delegate it to someone.
By the way... The boss just informed the other tech writer/trainer and
me that we are now "project managers" in addition to everything else.
Makes sense, because as trainers, we're involved in the customers
anyway, this just puts us in touch with them earlier in the game. We
already tend to coordinate a lot of the support customers need, make
sure tech support stays on top of their issues, etc. Doubt if I will
see the reflection of project manager in my compensation though. Oh
well. Can't have everything.
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