Re: What do TW's really do?

["Brierley, Sean" <Brierley -at- QUODATA -dot- COM>]

Hallo:

What does a techwriter do? Puts out fires. Rolls the ambulance to the 3am
car accident or shooting. Rescues a pit bull from a too-tight choke collar.
Baby-sits downed electrical wires. Whoops . . . that's my other job, isn't
it <g>.

A tech writer creates org charts, whines about not getting enough respect,
and focuses on minor grammar issues ad nauseam. Whoops, that's not it,
either <vbg>.

Third try is a charm. A tech writer:

-manages all aspects of on-line and printed document creation
-schedules resources
-plans the project
-chooses the tools
-writes and edits on-line and printed documentation
-makes clear what a technician, engineer, or programmer really doesn't
understand.
-performs QA
-logs problems about the stuff being documented
-buys a beer, occasionally, to schmooze the engineer/technician/programmer
-suffers irrational reviews
-incorporates legal garbage, marketing psychobabble, and the whimsical
musings of the -technician/programmer/engineer
-wins STC awards

Close?

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

>>>-----Original Message-----

>>>Michelle Vina-Baltsas wrote:
>>>>
>>>> If one of you had to summarize what you do as a
>>>> TW, what would you say?  I realize that this is a very
>>>good opportunity for
>>>> me to really toot my own horn, and TW's in general, but I
>>>need help.

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