RE: This too is technical communication

[John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

> I don't think any company pays that close attention to product doc
> today. I have not worked for such a company in, oh, 5 years. The

Because you aren't with one doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and I'm
sure there are lots of companies take as much pride in their docs as
we do.

My product documentation first gets reviewed by development and QA.
Not lip service...it is part of their defined responsibility. They're
given a week to do their final review.

After they submit their commnents and I make the changes, it goes to
what is called SVT. The SVT people are the customer advocates. They
put themselves in the place of the customer and act like the
customers. When they aen't acting like customer, they're intouch with
customers...SEs and CEs are in this group. For instance, they do an
install exactly acording to the installation and configuration
manual. I then get comments and changes from them. At release time,
they have a week.

When that is done, it goes to the mother ship, they do an editorial
review and I get those comments. They have a week. After they're
done, we create the distribution version (PDF) and that PDF gets a
peer review...two other writer in the department go through and check
for broken links and incorrect bookmrks, pagination, various stuff.
This takes a day.

Then the docs go on the manufacturer's CD.

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer

"They say everyone needs goals. Mine is to live forever.
So far, so good."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.