RE: Technical Documentation solutions?

Subject: RE: Technical Documentation solutions?
From: Goober <techcommgoober -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 06:59:40 -0700 (PDT)


In our previous episode...

--- Sean Brierley wrote:
> Nope. Engineers want to engineer. They enjoy it.
> Analysts want to
> analyze. They enjoy it. Team leads want to lead.
> That's their thing... none
> of these guys are about technical writing. It's not
> what they signed on
> for, it's not interesting to them, and it takes away
> from their primary duties.

I have to agree with Sean here. They may be used to
writing documents, but I'll bet anything that they'd
like to focus on their main duties and have someone
else worry about content delivery.

> Get back to us in 6 months and tell us what
> happened. Sounds like you
> can get some neat verbiage for your resume, though.

I'd definitely be interested in hearing how all this
went, what was decided, and how they are moving
forward.

--- Manley Clifford wrote:
> Now, if I can't show twelve people how to
> build, distribute and
> control twenty documents in six months I have no
> business calling myself a technical writer.

LOL! Perhaps, but remember, these aren't writers
you're dealing with. No matter how good the shepherd,
he cannot teach the sheep to herd themselves.

> I mentioned that this prototype might become of
> interest to the enterprise
> because I believe it will - I believe that we can
> show UPS a team that
> produces their own documentation without having to
> hire tech writers or
> outside resources (OH BLASPHEMY!!!!! DID HE JUST SAY
> THAT??!!

Oh my. You'd better get eHelp on board then. *roflmao*
Seriously, why would you recommend a workflow sans
tech writers? There is more to tech writing than
typing and pressing print, and certainly more than doc
workflows. To look at it inversely, you cannot teach a
group of writers how to use VSS effectively and expect
them to be able to architect a useful application.

> And without
> undue distraction from the individual's "real" job.

Anything outside their prime role is a distraction
from their real job. Hell, this list is a distraction
from OUR real jobs.

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References:
RE: Technical Documentation solutions?: From: Sean Brierley

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