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Can't be a Profit Center? How about Knowledge Center?
Subject:Can't be a Profit Center? How about Knowledge Center? From:Andrew Plato <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 7 Apr 2004 08:21:44 -0700 (PDT)
Since its not always feasible for tech docs to be a profit center for an
organization, why not try to become a "knowledge center."
Knowledge and information are valuable assets. If your tech doc team only has
writing skills to show as assets, then its obvious why your corporate masters
devalue documentation. Style guides, templates, and writing skills are not
generally considered valuable assets. They are common attributes among tech
writers. Why pay $60K a year to a person who merely polices templates and fixes
grammar when you can pay $20K to some off-shore person to do the same thing?
If you could buy a car at a local dealership for $30K or travel 100 miles and
get the exact same car for $20K, don't you think that 100 mile trip would be
worth it? Say what you will about supporting local vendors - but when its your
money on the line, I'll bet you'd travel the 100 miles. Why are corporations
any different?
Industry knowledge, particularly detailed technical knowledge, is valuable. And
its something that off-shore workers cannot easily acquire. If you have
detailed, technical and scientific knowledge of the products and services your
organization produces/provides, you're valuable to the organization. And this
knowledge is not easily replaced.
And please, don't tell me you cannot learn these things. You can. If you choose
not to learn about the technologies, then you choose to make yourself less
valuable. All the chest thumping and posturing won't change reality. Writing
skills are simply not as valuable as technical & scientific knowledge. This may
depress, offend, or bother you - but its reality.
If you walk into any company in America and say "I can write well and use
FrameMaker" you will most likely be ignored or passed on to some HR flunky.
However, if you walk in and say "I understand how your products work, I have a
foundation of scientific training, and I understand complex business
challenges" then you're A LOT more interesting. You bring more to the table.
So rather than worry about how to make docs more profitable, why not focus on
making them more valuable. Add value to the docs by refocusing them on
educating your customers. Stop assuming all your readers are frightened
children who need your tender care. Stop relying on SMEs to do all your work
for you. If you don't understand what the SME says - then LEARN it.
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