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[techwr-l] Re: Recap of the messasge about screwing up
Subject:[techwr-l] Re: Recap of the messasge about screwing up From:shelly -dot- l -dot- hazard -at- exgate -dot- tek -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L, a list for all technical communication issues" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 30 Aug 1999 14:12:47 -0700
I've tried sending this reply twice and it keeps getting rejected - so I'll
try one more time (I apologize Chuck if you actually got the last two
postings....).
Chuck said:
<<But I've also been in far too many situation where I hear about a
development meeting, go
there to keep up with developments on the product, and get asked
something along the lines of "What are you doing here? You're the
technical writer.">>
In this instance, you explain (politely) why it would be nice for the
technical writer to be included in the meeting and request (again politely)
that they include you in meeting announcements in the future. In my
experience (I worked as an engineering assistant for a number of years),
engineers are often not people-oriented. They avoid confrontations with
people that are hard to deal with. Thus, if you make interaction with you
difficult for them, they will simply work around you or at the least, not go
out of their way to tell you something.
If you have trouble finding out about meetings, find out who sets them and
ask to be notified about them in the future (in my case here, it is the
program manager or engineering manager). If you need constant input from
engineering, make yourself available to them. Make it easy for them to ask
you for a favor or just in general, to get information from you. Don't make
it a chore. Appear at their office door and chat with them occasionally -
remind them that there's a person behind that writing title.
Remember that while they must provide you with a service, you also provide
them with a service.
Okay, Okay, don't shove - I'll get off the box now!! *grin*
My 2cents worth at whatever the value....
Shelly
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