Re: Productivity for Technical Communicators

[Stuart Reynolds <stuartr -at- FIRSTGRAPHICS -dot- COM>]

-- [ From: Stuart Reynolds * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Hi  Michael..

I like you r methodology, however, I am still apprehensive about one of your
"mesauring sticks"..

>     1. Productivity is measured across projects, comparing one project
>        against another. You should not attempt to measure it within a
>        project. The goal in measuring productivity is to improve
>        output while holding or improving quality. This means improving
>        the skills of the people or improving the processes.
I think this productivity thing, is a potential time bomb.  You _could_
measure accross projects but... two idnetical projects done at different
times, can present their own set of variable, which in effect, makes them
two completely different projects.  Even though, the subject matter and
final prodcut, may be the same.  I think it would be better, to try  and
"educate" management, that this is one of those professions (a point that
still needs to be emphasized unfotunately is that this IS a professiona
ndnot just a "job") that is basically not measurable by "quantity" per se.
Yes, if a TW is producing one page of nothing each day, then get someone
else, but on the whole, I think really,  it is going to take some more
"formal" measures, in so much that, management needs to be educated well
enough, to actually understand what it is we do and why it IS a specaility
and profession and not just a clerical person with good gamatical skills.

Stui
--
  stuartr -at- firstgraphics -dot- com