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Subject:Re: Jobs going Overseas 2nd OT From:"Brent P. Newhall" <me -at- other-space -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Oct 2003 12:17:28 -0400 (EDT)
Dick Margulis wrote:
>
> Brent P. Newhall wrote:
>>
>>
>>What do native, local TWs offer that can be seen as advantages over
>> Indian or otherwise outsourced technical writing? Here are a few:
>>
> Not sure what a native TW is. Could you be more specific?
By "native technical writer," I mean a technical writer whose native
language is the same as that of the documentation being written.
On reflection, a local tech writer needn't be a native English (or
whatever) speaker.
>
>>* We're guaranteed to know the language
>>
> Not from evidence seen on this list (I'm not pointing my finger at your
> post, just making a general observation).
Indeed, perhaps "guarantee" is too strong a word. But surely a writer for
whom English is their native tongue has a higher likelihood of knowing the
language than someone for whom it is not?
In any event, even if we throw out the idea that the writer should be a
native English speaker, certainly it will be easier to tell if somebody is
a good speaker if we interact with them on a face-to-face level rather
than through e-mail or a phone?
>
>>, and language comprehension (or
>>lack thereof) will be obvious much more quickly with a local TW than
>> with an outsourced one.
>>
> Really? Again, I have not seen any evidence of that. I think education
> is English is probably better in any of several other countries than it
> is in the US.
I have seen no evidence of this. I don't mean to parrot you; I honestly
don't know that this claim is true.
All the tech writers that I've worked with in the same office have been
native English speakers, and have known English very very well. I've
interacted with oustsourced people, and their English has generally been
weaker than my colleagues'.
>
>>* It's easier to talk about the documentation's structure with a local
>> TW.
>> When your customers start complaining about your online help, and you
>>realize you have to restructure it, which would you rather have: a
>> local live body to talk to, or an e-mail address?
>>
> Phones work.
Certainly. Where have I written that they don't?
But face-to-face communication is far more efficient than telephonic
communication, all other things being equal.
> I got competent, prompt, tech support, in English, from
> Compaq (or maybe it was HP--I don't recall as it was for someone else's
> computer) on Christmas Day. The English was lightly accented, but
> Christmas is not a holiday in India. Worked for me, and the 800 number
> didn't cost me anything for the call.
Tech support is significantly different than technical writing, though. I
can't think of any reasons to avoid outsourcing tech support. But I don't
see how outsourcing tech support equates to outsourcing tech writing.
[snip]
> I think you missed the point of Jim's original question (I'm sure Jim
> will correct me if I'm wrong). I think he was saying that a lot of
> development is moving to India and if we think creatively we can take
> advantage of that fact. I don't think he was saying, "Person the
> barricades!"
I think either you've misinterpreted my post, or I mis-phrased it. I am
not suggesting that we "Person the barricades!" I'm saying, given the
current climate, how can local TWs offer a competitive option to
outsourcing?
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