TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Motivating/awarding co-w From:Alice Jones <alice_jones -at- MDL -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 30 Jun 1995 11:51:20 -0500
Subject: RE>Motivating/awarding co-workers
Hi, all. I sent this message a couple of days ago, but it returned an error so
I'm trying again. (My apologies if you received it the first time and this is a
repeat...)
> PCarman <HARRIS -dot- PCARMAN -at- IC1D -dot- HARRIS -dot- COM> asks:
> I was curious if any of you have any sort of motivational/award system
> for rewarding your co-workers for the edits they provide.
> Laurie Rubin <lmr -at- SYL -dot- NJ -dot- NEC -dot- COM> responds:
> Food is a great incentive to almost anyone!
While not a motivation for everyone or every situation, food works very well
with my SMEs (programmers) too! I had a big problem getting these guys to give
my docs one last thorough "technical review" before a major software release.
So, I booked an afternoon and called them into a conference room. I distributed
the appropriate doc chapters and pizza, pizza, pizza. No-one could leave until
all the docs had been reviewed. (Yes, I had the full cooperation of the VP of
Development.) The programmers liked it because A) they like pizza, B) they like
*free* pizza even better, and C) they like getting the review out of the way.
Another time I distributed review docs two weeks in advance, and told all
reviewers to report to my office at 9 am the morning of the deadline to return
their comments/markups. I tantalized them with promises of a "tasty" surprise
(they remembered the pizza, so they were curious.) I hauled in my toaster oven
and toasted bagels (cream cheese, lox, juice, the works!) I even took pity on
the straggler reviewers and kept the "kitchen" open until lunchtime.
My programmers can't wait for the next tech review to see what I'll come up with
next! :)
Alice Alspach Jones * A computer's attention span
Treasurer, STC Wash., DC Chapter * is as long as its power cord.
Technical Writer *
Silver Spring, MD * Windows: Just another pane
alice_jones -at- microdynamics -dot- mdl -dot- com * in the glass.
