Re: Re: It doesn't look good for Tina the Tech Writer ... OK, this makes for a good segue

[Kathleen MacDowell <kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com>]

I don't know much abt his preferred candidate, but that post strikes a lot
of chords for me. Always nice to have someone else to blame for once ...,
although it'll be cringeworthy. I also think political think has nothing
much to do with gender.

On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 11:52 AM, Ron Hearn <rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com> wrote:

>
> Further to yesterday's discussion on Scot's attitudes toward women, there
> is this from his blog last week:
>
> http://blog.dilbert.com/post/151737656851/the-era-of-women
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+rhearn=cucbc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+rhearn=cucbc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Keith
> Hood
> Sent: Monday, October 17, 2016 1:56 PM
> To: vincentpr -at- trfnova -dot- com
> Cc: techwr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Subject: Re: Re: It doesn't look good for Tina the Tech Writer ... OK,
> this makes for a good segue
>
> I agree that a good tech writer is just as valuable to the company as an
> engineer. But my experience has proven to me beyond any possible doubt that
> the overwhelming majority of managers who make the retention decisions do
> not agree.
>
> Another certification in a field which is not valued by the people who
> make the retention decisions is not going to help. That's kind of like
> having a dozen layers of frosting on a Brussels sprout cake. It's not going
> to win the baking competition.
>
> What needs to happen is for someone to finally come up with a way to PROVE
> that the tech writer's work adds value to the product. There has to be some
> way to express it in numbers and show that the work really does bump up the
> bottom line on the quarterly report. Until that happens, certifications may
> be useful in grading applicants for hiring decisions, but they will be
> meaningless to retention.
>
> On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:10 PM, Vincent <vincentpr -at- trfnova -dot- com> wrote:
>
> >    Friends,
> >    When the first rush of replies on this flowed in, I got angrier and
> >    angrier as I quickly parsed.  Angry at y'all that is (no disrespect
> >    intended here) for missing the critical issue against your current
> >    chosen profession.  I wanted to write then but I too, as Kathleen
> >    understands, must choose my fires to quench.  At the moment, I have a
> >    little time.
> >    Being too long involved in IT, I have chuckled at select Dilberts now
> >    and again when people have point them out, but I have never been an
> >    avid fan.  That, and Mr. Adams' gender imbalance :) notwithstanding,
> >    the real insult within the Dilbert installment under discussion is
> that
> >    the TW character is being presented as less valuable than an inherent
> >    engineer asset.  Nothing could be more untruthful or a better example
> >    of program management misperception.
> >    Yes, of course certain senior engineers -- and even engineers with
> >    seniority -- are essential and invaluable to an R&D team, and deserve
> >    to recognized as such.  However, generally speaking, good engineers
> are
> >    readily available and replaceable, but a good technical writer is not.
> >     The experienced and capable technical writer, while he or she suffers
> >    being regarded as a peer -- and mistakenly by Mr. Adams less -- is
> >    actually senior in contribution to most engineers.  Without the
> >    documentation process, application worklfow errors, system design
> >    errors, database architecture endless loops, and coding foopahs of
> >    every rushed and improperly tested kind would make it passed the
> >    staging cycle. Without proper documentation there is lessened
> >    accountability to management.  The technical writer is above an
> >    engineer.  Engineers who don't take a TW's request for a meeting
> >    seriously probably shouldn't be trusted to do their own work
> >    excellently and should be let go.
> >    Having spent some time working inside federal agencies, it always
> >    bothered me how silly it is for the way PMP certification is esteemed
> >    (again, no disrespect intended, but experience trumps the PMP
> >    certificate 100% of the time).  I have long had a dream that technical
> >    writers need their own certification, such CPTW (Certified
> Professional
> >    Technical Writer), likened to CPCM, CFCM, and to have that credential
> >    promoted and recognized properly.  And while I have spawned many ideas
> >    on how to chase that dream, I am only now getting to semi-retirement
> >    hours so that perhaps I can.
> >    Thoughts?  Reactions?  Anyone want to work on/pursue establishment of
> >    CPTW with me?
> >    Vincent
> >    www.linkedin.com/in/vincentpasqualeruvolo
> >
> >
> >    On 10/17/16, Kathleen MacDowell<kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> >
> >    It's been interesting to see everyone's interpretations, which are
> >    sometimes much deeper than my own.
> >    I haven't seen Dilbert for many years, but I've always viewed him
> >    similar
> >    to a Tom and Jerry (or any other) cartoon.
> >    He managed to convey my feelings about some of the idiocies we
> >    encounter at
> >    work; ah yes, restraining the fist of death.
> >    Sad to say, some people have real grudges that are expressed in the
> >    real
> >    world. And truly, as hard some of the work/life realities are to bear
> >    sometimes, we have a lot more pressing things to deal with right now.
> >    Most of us are subject to some kind of inequalities, some of us more
> >    than
> >    others. It would be wonderful if it could be reduced...
> >    Kathleen
> >    On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 12:46 PM, kafkascampi
> >    <[1]kafkascampi -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> >    > Not to be a buzzkill (which means I am totally about to be a
> >    > buzzkill), Scott Adams has some controversial views about women in
> >    the
> >    > workplace. This is one of the reasons I choose not to support him.
> >    >
> >    > Read more here:
> >    > [2]http://comicsalliance.com/scott-adam-sexist-mens-rights/
> >    >
> >    > Chris
> >    >
> >    > On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 8:51 AM, Tony Chung <[3]tonyc -at- tonychung -dot- ca>
> >    wrote:
> >    > > False alarm. A week later Tina agrees to be pointy head's "work
> >    wife"
> >    > > [4]http://dilbert.com/strip/2016-10-14
> >    > >
> >    > > -Tony (also in Vancouver)
> >    > >
> >    > > On Thursday, 6 October 2016, Ron Hearn <[5]rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com>
> >    wrote:
> >    > >
> >    > >> Looks like Tina is getting the axe in today's Dilbert:
> >    > >> [6]http://dilbert.com/strip/2016-10-06
> >    > >>
> >    > >>
> >    > >>
> >    > >> Ron Hearn
> >    > >> Documentation Specialist
> >    > >>
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> >    > >> V6J 4S7
> >    > >>
> >    > >> [7]rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com
> >    <javascript:;><[8]mailto:rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com
> >    > >> <javascript:;>>
> >    > >> Tel: 604.730.6391
> >    > >> Fax: 604.730-7792
> >    > >>
> >    > >>
> >    > >>
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> >    Kathleen MacDowell
> >    [19]kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com
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> > References
> >
> >    1. mailto:kafkascampi -at- gmail -dot- com
> >    2. http://comicsalliance.com/scott-adam-sexist-mens-rights/
> >    3. mailto:tonyc -at- tonychung -dot- ca
> >    4. http://dilbert.com/strip/2016-10-14
> >    5. mailto:rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com
> >    6. http://dilbert.com/strip/2016-10-06
> >    7. mailto:rhearn -at- central1 -dot- com
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-- 
Kathleen MacDowell
kathleen -dot- eamd -at- gmail -dot- com
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