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Subject:Re: The Law of Unintended Consequences From:"Gary Robinson" <GXR -at- ddpmi -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 14 Apr 2003 15:18:33 -0400
I usually avoid the copy-editor syndrome with my SMEs. When in a sign-off process I always make sure the SMEs are aware of what there responsibility is, namely the content. My sign-off sheet states that they affirm that the documentation is Clear, Complete, and Correct as presented to them. If it isn't, they are to mark up the copy and return it to me. They are aware that they are not responsible for typos, poorly constructed paragraphs, or badly worded sentences. Any suggestions they have along those lines are taken under advisement, especially if there is some jargon/technical language that would be more meaningful to the user than my wording.
Regards,
Gary G. Robinson
Technical Communications Consultant
Pillar Technology Group, LLC
www.pillartechnology.com
To those of you contemplating how to make a formal documentation sign-off part of your process:
Consider the possibility that once they are "responsible" <g> for the documentation, those who have to sign off on it will send you frantic updates and agonize *way* more than you do over word selection and comma placement up to and indeed beyond the deadline.
This is the first time we've done this and it's definitely a learning experience. :-)
Rebecca Stevenson
Technical Writer
Workscape, Inc.
> 508-861-3059
AIM: RJSWriter
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