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Subject:RE: Where does the docs department fit? From:"Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com> To:"'techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 6 Oct 2000 08:54:32 -0400
Hallo:
I have been following this thread with curiosity because, due to a few
mergers, the writers in my company (and I) are waiting to see where we end
up . . ..
I do have a strong preference, that is for a separate communications
department to be established, but should we fall under marketing,
development/engineering, or somewhere else (janitorial supplies), I'll still
get my job done and have no doubt that I'll work well with my boss . . ..
I have worked for a company with a separate communications department, which
farmed writers to various projects (sometimes for years or weeks). One
advantage of this approach is the opportunity to stick with what you like or
to move about and keep things changing. I have worked for companies where
tech docs were part of marketing . . . this really did not affect on the
relationship between technical authors and SMEs and had the advantage of
including tech docs with the department that had the biggest budget in the
company!! I have also worked in companies where tech writing was part of
development/engineering, with the obvious benefit of putting the writers in
closer contact with the SMEs. Certainly, this also puts newbie writers in
closer contact with a very few snooty and aloof SMEs who would put them
down, but revenge in the form of hidden hyperlinks to a persons picture,
home phone, and address, is a potentially satisfying solution to such
problems!
Best regards,
Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com
P.S. Kidding about the janitorial supply and hidden hyperlinks thing, and
chocolate would be an excellent perk!
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hart, Geoff [SMTP:Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA]
>
> Count me in among the heathen, but I don't think it really matters where
> on
> the org chart you put the documentation group. That's just another inkblot
> on the company's rhorschach diagram--so to speak. What's truly important
> is
> not where you fit within the hierarchy, but rather where you fit within
> the
> unwritten relationships that define how the company truly functions.
> - An adequate supply of chocolate, or a per-diem that lets you obtain
> this.
>
>
