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Re: Seeking counsel - yet another difficult work situation
Subject:Re: Seeking counsel - yet another difficult work situation From:David Neeley <dbneeley -at- gmail -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 17 Dec 2004 15:33:43 -0600
Robyn,
As usual, some very worthwhile comments in this thread. Perhaps I can
make a few more suggestions:
1) Check with the technical support manager and find out their
attitude toward the reduction in their workload if the documentation
were able to be more complete. You may find a natural ally there!
2) Get a copy of the product launch calendar, and put on it the
various "drop dead" dates for the documentation to be complete prior
to launch. Circulate the calendar to all concerned...if possible, have
your additions approved and incorporated by the project manager! When
a change is made, assess the impact that change will have on the doc
deliverables, and send a memo to affected parties of these impacts.
Include the statement that the earlier a change is communicated, the
less the impact on the finished documentation timeline.
(As the "powers that be" get plugged into these facts, various answers
will begin to appear to be more attractive...whether it be getting you
help, getting you on the earliest notice lists regarding changes,
etc.)
3) When any of the doc dates on your calendar are blown by the
respective parties, send another memo giving your estimate of the time
it will take following receipt of the needed information...and the
impact, if any, on the deliverables schedule. This is a prime method
regarding SME reviews, for example, so that *they* move these tasks up
in their priority lists.
Using tactics like this, you come across as professional--increasing
the respect you gain from the others involved--and you make it
extremely hard to try to "fudge" these tasks. In other words, as a
documentation professional, it is up to you to document the project
status in a way that is clear to everyone where the bottlenecks are.
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