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Subject:FW: What I recently heard From:"Moulton, Debbie" <Moulton -at- dow -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 15 Nov 2002 12:21:51 -0600
My thoughts below:
-----Original Message-----
From: Janet Murphy [mailto:janet -at- fuse -dot- net]
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2002 11:46 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: What I recently heard
I understand the need for consistency, but I have worked w/some writers who
are
so consumed w/consistency that they don't get much work done.
Here's my theory/observation: Manic obsession w/consistency is usually an
indication that the writer doesn't understand a) the material b) the project
c)
what they are supposed to be doing on the project. Typically, these types
have
been recently downsized from some other company and are new to the
project/company at hand. They are usually in the middle of a big
learning/emotional curve, which further adds to their stress.
I am a "recently downsized" new addition to the company I'm now contracted
to. The only other on board technical writer (who's been here 8 years) is so
obsessed with style and consistency that she gets very little work done and
constantly complains about how much work she has to do. Her favorite saying
is "I just haven't had time."
In my experience, consistency freaks have an outstanding understanding of
the
documenation tool (typically Word or FM) and spend most of their time
generating
styles, TOCs, and other format-related stuff *instead of* content. And,
these
are first ones to shout "Consistency issue! This cannot be published until
xxx
changes are made to the format" when other writers *are* making tangible
progress on a project.
My problem has been that the 'aforementioned' is the one who gets to
establish the standards and guidelines that are to be followed by myself and
any new team members. Her idea of the right way (only way) to do things
doesn't have anything to do with the content and certainly not the users.
My mentors taught me a long time ago, it isn't about me, it's about them
Thoughts?
janet murphy
cincinnati, oh
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