Re: Satisfaction (was ... Re: The value of technical writers)

[Jill Burgchardt <jburgcha -at- PESTILENCE -dot- ITC -dot- NRCS -dot- USDA -dot- GOV>]

I agree with Eric, I'd like to see an upbeat story of things working once in a
while.

My story is similar to Eric's.  Part of my job includes doing help for web
applications.  I work closely with the developers.  In fact, I do the prototypes
in html, so they essentially work from my user interface design.  I usually
begin writing the help as part of the prototype.

As they try to implement the design, we have a running dialog about why the
design is a certain way, what implementation problems exist, whether change a or
b would work for our users, etc.

This works, because we respect and communicate with each other.  As they build
the actual applications, I'm able to keep my help files up-to=date because I
know what they're changing.

I also document a major database system.  It's a very different environment than
the web applications, but the teamwork is excellent.  I never feel that I'm a
second rate member on either the web team or the database team.  I get to attend
seminars and take classes at company expense.  In fact, I've gotten to go to
traning when some of the developers have been denied.  This place is smart
enough to know that ALL of us moving into the web arena are facing new
challenges.

I love this job!

Jill Burgchardt
jburgchardt -at- pestilence -dot- itc -dot- nrcs -dot- usda -dot- gov

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