RE: writer needs a pep talk

["Sharon Burton-Hardin" <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com>]

This is an easy one. It is what readme notes are for.

Tell your manager that you will make changes to keep up with the docs to N
date. After that, the manual will not change as you get it ready for
release - indexing, QA, etc. Any changes to the product after that time will
be noted in a Readme or an errata or what ever you want to call it that goes
out with the product.

Then do that. Simple. After the release, you can finalize the docs with the
changes noted in the readme and release an updated manual to the 'net as a
PDF for the users to download. Might take a couple of weeks for you to make
these changes, but you have met the ship date and have a plan for dealing
with the changes and getting them into the hands of the users.

To make this easier next time? You don't have time to NOT plan your part
next time, including what to do if the product keeps changing after GUI
freeze.

sharon

Sharon Burton-Hardin
CEO, Anthrobytes Consulting
909-369-8590
www.anthrobytes.com

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-71429 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-71429 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Kevin
McGowan
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 8:57 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: writer needs a pep talk



Hi folks,

I've been writing docs for 8 years, and I've never been in this situation
before!

Basically,

- the project still has major feature changes/additions well after the
proposed UI freeze date
- there never was (n'or was there any hope of ever having) a plan for the
project.
- the deadline is in two weeks
- my SMEs are so busy making all these changes that I've been told there
really is no time for a review of my big User Guide

Management seem to know my situation, I've been quite vocal about the whole
thing. ie, you guys are gonna get a crappy user guide because you keep
changing everything and can't review my work to make sure I understand what
you're doing...

I've always produced good stuff, well-written, well-indexed, completely
reviewed manuals. This time, however, it's gonna be a bit of a washout.

Anyone have any ideas of how I should approach my next two weeks? And then,
how should I try to get this to work better next time?


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