RE: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken

["Lauren" <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net>]

As a consultant, I rarely work with a group of writers.  My work usually
involves documentation for a specific project that does not have other
writers.  However, I have worked with other writers two or three times.

On one occasion, I had a contract to work with a group of technical writers.
The lead there told me of an issue the group had in developing the
convention for the use of "or" in a bulleted list when either of a pair of
bulleted items were options.  The possible conventions were to offset "or"
in all uppercase, bold, with asterisks on either side, with hyphens on
either side, with italics, or with any combination of the options.
Apparently, the debate went on for some time and a special meeting was
called that lasted several hours.  I don't recall how they resolved the
issue or what they ultimately decided to use, but I think there was some
management intervention to end the debates.

Personally, I do think that these people were communicating, but they
weren't accepting the views of others or willing to compromise or re-define
their views in the interests of the project.  Although, they were
communicating, they weren't *effectively* communicating, which would involve
the incorporation of the views of others.

Lauren


> From: Gene Kim-Eng

> I have spent endless hours in meetings with writers
> who could produce excellent documentation yet could
> not seem to conduct simple conversations with one
> another without mediation.  This too is communication.
> 
> Gene Kim-Eng

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