TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Staring into space From:Kevin McLauchlan <KMcLauchlan -at- CHRYSALIS-ITS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 9 Apr 1999 14:00:09 -0400
David Castro replied to me:
As far as working styles meshing with management styles, I've been
loving it since we got put under a new manager. He actually goes around the
table in each week's meeting, and asks what we've gotten accomplished. It's
not a confrontational, micromanaging thing. It's nice to be able to share
with the other writers my accomplishments. It also helps me to keep clear in
my mind how much time there *really* is, which helps me to determine how
much time I can spend on the various parts of the documentation (and how
good a thread on TECHWR-L has to be for me to be able to spend time reading
it! :-).
So, apparently you are ahead on the current project(s)...
or you've got a really low threshold... :-)
But to address your situation, I don't know that I'd welcome
that particular approach.I just can't see getting a lot of
mileage or brownie-points out of reporting:
"Well, I had the first draft ready for the cancelled project,
and I'm in stage 1 percolation for the cost-reduced token
project and stage 2 percolation for the Rev 2 accellerator
card..." Ahem. Coff, coff.....
Anyway, initial responses suggest either that there are
more of us who do whirlwind writing sprees late in the
project, when things finally "gel" in our heads, than there
are relentlessly-pre-planned, walking Daytimer types,
or else that we threshold types are more likely to reply to
such a question in the first place.
(Hmm. Experimental design might need more polishing.)
To me, it's intrinsically an interesting question, but my practical
interest is to know how successful contractors answer it,
because I know what type I am and I've felt that "cut-the-
apron-strings" itch once again. Would it be a foot-shooting
exercise to finally give in, given my natural modus operandus?
Don't get me wrong; I'm in a very nice job with very good
people and interesting subject matter... but the call of the
wild... oh the allure the allure! :-)
