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I just wanted to mention how I deal with the ongoing
write/edit/review/revise/polish question.
Like the other responders, initially it's a brain dump:
- Parts I'm confident on, I write using whatever formatting is appropriate
for the document.
- Parts I'm not sure on, I write up, then highlight in yellow as an issue
that still needs to be verified. If it's a question I need to escalate to
the SME, I also add the word "Verify" in red after the item.
- Parts I need clarification on, or that don't work the way I've been told,
etc., I'll also highlight in yellow. I'll then add my
question/experience/whatever to the document, again written in red.
- I don't insert graphics until -very- late in the game. I do put in two
lines of caption for every graphic: the first describing the image in detail
(which is later replaced with the image), the second, the caption that will
remain in the document.
I can get the first draft down very quickly this way. Then, because the
things I need to return to are highlighted, I can easily find them and deal
with them on the next pass. When I need to send installments to the SME,
it's ready to go, at almost any stage. Since the majority of my clients are
out of area (meaning that we conduct reviews by email or other remote
document mgt. systems), the questions I need them to address are easy for
them to spot.
(Oh, yes, we're usually working in Word at this stage, mostly because it's
something everyone has. Whether it stays in Word or gets converted to
another format later in the process depends on what the client wants for the
final deliverable.)
When there's no more "color" in the doc, we pretend it's done (which as
others have pointed out, is simply never true, but not part of this
discussion).
best of luck,
L
-----Original Message-----
From: kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com
Alexandra asks:
> 2) Do you polish up each page/section as much as possible before you
move
> to the next page/section, or do a rough draft, knowing you'll fix it all
up
> at the end of the project?
At first, just spew. Get some words on the page, for ALL sections of the
doc.
Revise constantly, and make sure you keep bouncing your drafts back to
SMEs - or at least maintain a tickler file of issues that it's vital to
get the SMEs to confirm or clarify. Revise, but don't polish. Save the
polishing for the end, and don't be surprised if there really isn't much
time to polish. If the content is solid and written clearly (even if it
lacks some finesse), you're in good shape.
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