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Tamara wrote: "I have a question for the technical writers on this group
that have built many
Help systems. Have you been asked to document just the application? Have
you
been asked to add operational/desk procedures in the Help? What
about the company's business and business rules?"
Do what you're asked to do, but find the time to write operational
procedures, or at least keep a file of the ones you think should be written.
I'm the only technical writer in a small (14 employees) software company.
Three years ago I started writing a help file for an application under
development. My task was to document just the application (What I call
reference guide stuff.) and worry about procedures later. During those three
years, I got pulled in many other directions (creating software demos, small
help files for existing apps). A couple of months ago we released the
product with no procedural help and the help file got hammered by our users.
"Who the hell cares what the software looks like if I can't figure out how
to use it?" My cube is next to the VP's office and he was the one taking the
majority of support calls, on speaker phone. It thickens the skin rather
quickly to hear your hard work getting slammed a dozen times a day for weeks
on end, especially when you delivered what was asked for, and more.
Fortunately, I created and regularly updated a list of procedures that I
knew should be included, now all I have to do is figure out the steps.
Procedures are my main priority now.
As far as business rules, we tell them how to use the software to run their
businesses, we don't tell them how to run their businesses.
Philip
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