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Subject:Re: QA Techniques in Writing and Production From:David Locke <dlocke -at- PHOENIX -dot- NET> Date:Wed, 5 Mar 1997 00:05:06 -0600
M. David Orr writes:
>>* Screen prospective employees carefully to eliminate sloppy writers
>>* Train existing writers in quality principles
>>* Train existing writers in writing skills
To which Robert Plamondon replied:
>I'm curious as to how you deal with the first bullet item. <snip>
I once worked with an analyst/futurist that was hired to do some technical
writing. I had no influence in the hiring decision. He knew the source
language intimately. The first time I was his writing, I re-estimated the
job, because I expected a more professional TW. As I edited his work, he
learned my expectations and exceeded them. He demonstrated the ability to
LEARN and CARE about his writing. He was a professional.
Copyeditor redlines can be used to move responsibility from the writer, or
to train the writer to improve. In a TQM environment, QC finds defects and
QA learns from them. I would expect that my writers learn from their
mistakes. That is Demming. Mistakes are ok as long as the lessons are not
ignored. Continuing to make the same mistakes is a sign of irresponsibility
and lack of professionalism. The absense of mistakes is NOT a measure of
professionalism.
How do you find TWs like that?
David
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