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Subject:Re: Work instructions From:"M. Dannenberg" <midannen -at- SI -dot- BOSCH -dot- DE> Date:Thu, 10 Jul 1997 16:53:26 +0200
S.L. Polsky schrieb:
> Greetings, all.
>
> Comments please:
> I have considered recommending that macros and links be designed to
> step
> the documentation writers through the process they now follow. That
> wouldn't provide any real improvement, though, in the tools they use.
> It
> would (hopefully), however, automate the lengthy process and safeguard
>
> against them forgetting any steps in the routine.
> Do you have experience linking such an array of applications?
>
> I'm on a tight timeline, and hope you will offer the benefit of your
> experience.
>
> TIA.
>
> Sharon.
>
> S.L. Polsky 403.254.4376
> Project Scope Solutions Group
>
>
From what I understand, there are two issues here: the tools used for
writing, and for organising the workflow within the writing department.
As for writing tools - I suppose good old FrameMaker will do them
nicely, especially if they have a cross-platform environment. It has all
the features to support reasonably complex writing projects and a not
too painful learning curve for experienced writers.
The workflow problem is probably best addressed with a documentation
management system that has a workflow component. Several solutions exist
here, so you'll have to find out what suits you best. There's an
excellent article on the subject in Byte 5/97. That'll fill you in on
the basics and it also lists a couple of URL's to companies that offer
such products.
I think trying to cobble together a system on your own will quickly
develop into a nightmare. Some colleagues of mine are doing something
like that with Word macros, and they're spending more and more time on
fixing the macros and less and less on getting actual work done.
Mike
--
Mike Dannenberg
ETAS GmbH & Co.KG
midannen -at- si -dot- bosch -dot- de
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