Re: Help!!!!! I don't know where to start

Subject: Re: Help!!!!! I don't know where to start
From: John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 05:56:42 -0700 (PDT)

--- HUDSPET -at- Nationwide -dot- com wrote:
> Hi all. This is my first time posting a message in this
> forum....so...please be gentle. I'm having a bit of a dilemma. I

Stop reading and start writing. Write anything. I doesn't matter if
it will be changed or replaced. In the best case, it will be the
platform upon which additional writing is based. Worst case, nobody
writes without thinking and will cause you to distill your thoughts
into something that you will be writing about later. Learn as you go
along.

When I'm confronted with a large project, as I was when I started my
current gig about 10 days ago, I spend the first couple of days
listening to everyone who has something to say. No notes, no writing,
just thinking about what I'm hearing. The purpose is not to be able
to repeat what you heard, but to see in your mind where it fits, what
the relationship is beteen what you just heard and what you learned
yesterday. Make friends with whiteboards. Almost every office in
normal companies have at least one. I carry my own set of markers.
Everytime someone tells you about something, draw it on the white
board and get their concurrence that it is correct. Ask LOTS of
questions. Playing the odds, most of the questions will be "stupid",
but every once in a while and with greater frequency as you go along,
someone will say "Good question...let's talk about that."

I then start writing. Not according to a system or plan...just
whatever needs to be written about at that time. I try to incorporate
previously created stuff and fill in the gaps, but if it doesn't
exist, write it. Do I care if it is 100% correct correct? Not at
all...I'm happy with 50% the first time around...what you don't know,
make up based on as much information as you have...subsequent reviews
will take care of that. In fact, if you wait for SMEs to get you the
stuff, it will be too late.

I don't use a document plan. Funny thing happens...as I create stuff,
the plan becomes apparent and I'm willing to change direction
whenever I need to. A member of the project questioned my process,
saying I was doing rework. I told her yes, but I've also NEVER missed
a deadline or commitment. It turns out that she's the worst person on
the team for meeting commitments on submitting her end.

I may write about a module of the process...my current one is called
"Preliminary Credit Check Process". I write what I know, turn it out
for review, and someone comes along and says "Ya'know...there are
four forms associated with this process and they need to be
documents. Well, I now have four additional elements that need to be
documented.

A document is a dynamic, living thing. Whatever structure you start
with, the only thing for certain is that it won't be that structure
when you are done.

As far as intimidation? Not really. Anticipation and excitement, yes.
In fact, right now, I'm on the most challenging project I've had for
several years. It involves redesigning a major process (the sales
process) for a fortune 500 telecom company. Every day, 12-15 senior
project managers from all different company disciplines get together
in a war room for 9 hours and tear apart, then rebuild a piece of the
company's sales process.

My job? To create a draft of that day's results, that night, and get
it delivered to the team within 48 hours. Sure, it involves 13-14
hour days (I'm a contractor, I get paid for all hours, and I'm not
questioned on how much time I'm using) and I spend my off-hours
preoccupied with thinking about what was discussed. However, I know
that when I'm done, I'll have made a positive demonstrateable
contribution to a major company initiative recognized at the highest
levels.

=====
John Posada, Senior Technical Writer
"I am a bomb disposal expert. If you see me running, try to keep up."
mailto:john -at- tdandw -dot- com, 732-259-2874

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