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.
> Our new management thinks that our Style Guide is a luxury
> and a waste of
> time. Can you provide me with some well-thought-out
> arguments as to why a
> tech. pubs. team would "need" to have one?
Ya'know...we may be missing an aspect of this that hasn't been
discussed. There's a difference between style guide in theory and how
it applies at this situation.
In theory, the style guide does all this and more. However, it may be
in the case of this situation, where a style guide exists, but isn't
used, and in this case, it would be waste of time.
I've been a contractor at some very large companies and almost all of
them had a style guide....and almost none of them used it for more
than lip service..and guess what? Documentation got produced and
delivered and used.
In fact, at two of the companies that did have them, they were used
more by those that got nothing done (except have committe meeetings
where they discussed whether the H1 style should be 14pt bold or 16pt
normal), then those of us that said "Screw the style guide, it's
obsolete anyway, I'm gonna write something!"
=====
John Posada
Technical Writer mailto:john -at- tdandw -dot- com
732-259-2874
Only in America... do they have drive-up ATM machines
with Braille lettering
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/
