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Subject:Re: Dividing the Tech writer job From:"D. Margulis" <ampersandvirgule -at- WORLDNET -dot- ATT -dot- NET> Date:Mon, 10 Aug 1998 18:22:31 -0400
Melissa,
Maybe you can get away with calling them Documentation Girls, but I
can't; so let me address the question in a more gender-neutral fashion.
The traditional rule for typesetting is "see an _a_, type an _a_" (I
worked for a printer once who had a more memorable version of that, but
it's PG-13); this is exactly what your present typists are doing, and
woe be to anyone who criticizes them for it. With training, they should
be able to migrate to an operator position with Frame. Operators do not
have to be writers, proofreaders, or editors; they do need to understand
copy mark-up and the ins and outs of the software, but a person of
average intelligence should be able to handle that. I've seen people of
substantially less-thatn-average intelligence learn composition software
much more complicated than Frame.
However, the work flow needs to change somewhat to make best use of the
resources you've got. Someone needs to copyedit and redact the ms.
before it goes to the typists. This may be a fairly light markup, with
the understanding that the author is going to make heavier corrections
to the "galleys"; but at the minimum it should include marking the
correct tags to use, and marking special fonts, italics, etc., that your
style may call for. (Markup tips: Use a green pen; a numeral 1 in a
circle means level one subhead; numeral 2 in a circle means level two
subhead, etc.; mark in the left margin of the ms.)
As the SME is providing the first reading, you don't need to have anyone
in your department proofread the work at this stage.
Once the SME is done, bring the work back into the department and take
control of it. Let a tech writer or editor at it for real editing of
content, style, and so forth. If the tech writer or editor is adequately
skilled with the software, it's a tossup who implements the corrections.
If not, give them back to the typists.
Finally, hand the job off to whoever is the best person for layout and
illustration.
HTH
Dick
Melissa Conniff wrote [snipped for length]:
>
> Here is the problem. The Documentation girls are literally typists. The practice
> around here is a SME writes up something, gives it to the girls to be typed *as
> is*, formated and printed. Then the SME reviews it and makes any corrections.
> The Documentation girl then types the corrections and reprints. So literally, the
> Documentation girls do not make *any* change to the document unless they were told
> to do so.
>
> Both my boss and I want to see a change in how documents are handled around here,
> included adding more tech writers!!! ;-> BUT, I am at a loss as to how to
> structure a work flow with these two girls. I'm used to doing everything myself.
> I work in Frame and these girls don't yet know Frame (they are going to go to
> classes! ;-> I've tried to teach one of the girls, but she is having a difficult
> time grasping some of the basic concepts--such as multiple master pages and
> different text flows. So I do not have high hopes that these girls would be able
> to grow into tech writers within the next year or so.)
>
