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Subject:RE: Help for a new tech writer From:"Dori Green" <dgreen -at- associatedbrands -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 4 Mar 2008 13:07:30 -0500
Jim Mezzanotte wrote:
Am I nuts to take this on?
*************
Without any hands-on experience as a manufacturing technical writer or a
degree in manufacturing engineering? Pretty much.
But it depends.
A _lot_ will depend on whether or not your boss intends to obtain ISO
registration. If he expects to export to Europe, this will probably be
a necessity. If that's the case, your model for document organization
and control has already been developed (ISO 9000) and you might want to
consider partnering with an ISO registrar in a consulting position to
get you started. You can do most of the grinding-out-documents work but
guidance will save you hours and headaches. Many registrars offer
start-up consultation service or can point you toward independent
consultants who do.
Without the half-dozen ISO training programs and years of experience
I've enjoyed, I would not want to tackle this job alone. With them, I'd
still suggest the use of a consultant just for another set of eyeballs
on the system.
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