TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Fostering Teamwork and Communication From:John Posada <JPosada -at- book -dot- com> To:"'dthomps -at- foundationsoft -dot- com'" <dthomps -at- foundationsoft -dot- com>, TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 21 Aug 2003 17:31:15 -0400
Dannette
Then make it objective. Treat each of their complaints as bugs. Get a bug
tracking application, or at least, an Excel spreadsheet.
Devote 25% of the meeting to documenting their complaints, which need to be
unemotionalized. They should be prepared to explain how each of their
complaints must be based on how something, from their perspective, is
broken. Include in the documentation at minimum, five elements:
A description of the bug, in objective terms
It's business impact as a customer would see it
The person, by name, who is filing it
The person or department who, in their eyes, owns it.
Priority (I use 1-3 Must Fix, 4-6 Fix if Time, 7 Don't fix)
The trick is to take the emotion out of it. It might also happen that once
there is no fun in it, many of the issues appear trivial.
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com
NY: 212-414-6656
Dayton: 732-438-3372
"Alright, nobody move! I've got a dragon here, and I'm not afraid to use it"
---------- Donkey
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dthomps -at- foundationsoft -dot- com [mailto:dthomps -at- foundationsoft -dot- com]
> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 11:23 AM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: RE: Fostering Teamwork and Communication
>
>
>
> Thanks, John. I'm contemplating your advice. But I do have to
> add that it
> *is* my job to facilitate communication between the departments. It's
> actually part of my job description. And, what's worse, I see
> a lot of truth
****************************************************************************
**********************************
This electronic mail message contains information that (a) is or may be
CONFIDENTIAL,
PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE,
and (b) is intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named herein. If
you are not an
intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately and take the steps
necessary to
delete the message completely from your computer system.
Not Intended as a Substitute for a Writing: Notwithstanding the Uniform
Electronic Transaction
Act or any other law of similar effect, absent an express statement to the
contrary,
this e-mail message, its contents, and any attachments hereto are not
intended to represent
an offer or acceptance to enter into a contract and are not otherwise
intended to bind
this sender, barnesandnoble.com llc, barnesandnoble.com inc. or any other
person or entity.
