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Subject:Writer/Developer Ratios From:Karla McMaster <mcmaster%pcmail -dot- cti-pet -dot- com -at- CTI-PET -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 31 May 1994 11:48:15 EST
I was amazed by the figures provided by John Brinegar:
> A writer to engineer ratio of 30:2 (15:1) is too high to result in
> quality documentation. We have surveyed enterprises that produce
> documentation ranging from superior to ordinary. We find that the
> superior enterprises have ratios like 2:1 and in a few cases 1:1.
> Ordinary enterprises tend to have ratios in a range from 7:1 to 4:1.
> Ratios higher than 10:1 tend to produce mediocre to simply awful
> documentation.
None of my several writing positions has had a ratio remotely approaching 10:1--
they have all been much higher--15-20:1 or worse. I have always presumed that
to be the norm. Could it be that I've been mistaken? I dearly hope so...but I'd
like to confirm my impression...What is the experience of others on this list?
Karla McMaster, technical writer
CTI-PET Systems, Inc., Knoxville, TN
mcmaster -at- cti-pet -dot- com