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Subject:RE: Starting from scratch From:"Humbird, Len - CFC" <Humbird -dot- Len -at- cfwy -dot- com> To:"'TECHWR-L (E-mail)" <TECHWR-L -at- LISTS -dot- RAYCOMM -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 7 Jan 2000 11:06:50 -0800
I've been there. I haven't done these steps, but it makes sense if you're
given the leeway.
1. Define your charter. What is your purpose there? What needs do you serve?
Who do you serve? What will you produce? Where are you on the org chart?
2. Meet with each of the managers in IT. Assess their situations with
respect to how you could facilitate.
3. Prioritize. Determine if you need more heads to get the work done.
Propose your findings to whomever you're reporting to. And the next person
up the ladder.
4. If you're being pulled by multiple departments, define some policies and
procedures.
5. Put together a style guide for each type of document you're producing.
6. If it's a big IT department, put together a "press release" that promotes
to you/your department to the IT department.
7. Announce to the IT department (through email, intranet, etc.) of your
existence, your charter, and policies/procedures on how to utilize your
services.
8. After you've produced a few good manuals, put together a bibliography of
publications that you've produced. Make it available online to everyone.
Include how to get to the documents online.
-----Original Message-----
From: mikala morgan [mailto:dolphina -at- visto -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 4:18 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Starting from scratch
I have accepted a job with a company that is rebuilding its IT division.
They have never had a tech writer and don't have a stick of
documentation....nothing.
I have plenty of ideas, but would like to know what some of you would do to
your documentation departments if you could start with a clean slate and a
(within reason) blank check.
