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.
>
> A minor quibble for those who aren't familiar with ISO--it isn't a
> regulatory body and certification is strictly optional for those who
> wish to gain the recognition that ISO certification may entail.
>
> People who are much more current than am I regarding ISO cert issues
> often claim that it can enshrine processes that often should instead
> be replaced as being cumbersome and unnecessarily costly.
This can happen. It all depends on the approach you take to setting up your
QA system and what you are trying to claim from it.
An ISO 9000 certification inspection will generally look to see whether your
QA system does the following:
1. Defines what you are trying to achieve (yes, you can get an ISO
certificate limited only to the quality of the hamburgers in the cafeteria
if that is what you really want)
2. Contains processes that will enable you to see whether you are achieving
it
3. Documents those processes
4. Ensures that those who have to follow the processes know what they are
and when they change
Depending on the complexity of the task, that can require a lot of
documentation or not much. The mistake many companies make is to include
absolutely every aspect of their operations when going through stage #1.
Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
