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Kristy, my personal preference would be to avoid the PDF scenario. In the
recent past, I had a "pseudo" CMS based on a mix of my creating/generating
HTML in Robo. It had to be generated to several formats and audiences. On
top of that, I had to keep the source in a Subversion repo. So that's a bit
of a stretch for a CMS, but I had to disperse the HTML as well for other
purposes to others on my team (I wasn't generating anything "help" like--I
authored in Robo in order to generate topics to compile Word/PDF docs
easily.)
But one thing I learned from that environment was that I got sick and tired
of having to review and incorporate a bunch of minor edits when I had other
project responsibilities. If someone wanted to slip in a paragraph or so
(the HTML code was basic: we stripped out ANY Robo-specific tags), I really
didn't care--often the folks working on the project had knowledge I might
not have had because we each may have been involved in a different activity.
So if my teammates wanted to edit the HTML text, they had the green light.
What I made a habit of was to periodically review the modified files (easy
to determine the files that were modified and WHO modified with Subversion).
If I had an editor, it would have been an easy thing to delegate. But no
editor. So every few weeks, I would take a day or two and scrub the grammar
and spelling.
I would think in an environment where you have someone who can really review
and edit the text, that the CMS can be leveraged to be able to pull a list
of files that were added or modified and have your editors work with
directly with the text. The PDF cycle would be clunky and actually add work
in my view. Someone needs to open that PDF, review it, enter edits into the
PDF and circulate it or print it. Who would do that? The editors? That's
adding more work to the editors. Then if the authors have to make the edits,
they have more work as well. If your editors can do the work directly, you
lessen a bit of the work load for each the authors and editors.
Not to mention, as having played the role of both editor and author, I find
it incredibly difficult to edit my own work. I get blind to it after looking
at it too long. The added bonus is having someone who is completely divested
of the text to be able to scrutinize it thoroughly (of course, according to
your organization's style guide).
On Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 4:49 PM, <kristy -at- kristylantzastry -dot- com> wrote:
> Cross-posted to HATT
> We're in the early stages of implementing a CMS. Our editors are being
> told that they won't be given access to the XML-based topics. Instead,
> each editor is expected to comment on the grammar, punctuation, syntax,
> and document structure in a generated pdf, which is returned to the
> technical writer for correction before the document is sent for
> technical review.
> We writers and editors believe that editors should be able to correct
> the minor grammatical issues in each topic, before a document is
> generated. But, as always, we need to convince upper management with
> facts rather than feelings.
> Regardless of your type of CMS and subject matter, what's your editing
> process? Do your editors work strictly with documents written by native
> English speakers, or do they also edit documents written by ESL
> writers? What works and doesn't work for you? How has your editing
> process changed since implementing your CMS?
> Thank you for any and all advice.
>
> Kristy L. Astry
> 2011-2012 STC RMC Past President
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