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The review process for documentation is not a favor. The problem is
that management hasn't made the review process an intergral part of
the knowledge capture process.
The problem I have with the "favor" approach, as i do with the
various bribe approaches is that you cannot consistantly count on
their participation.
If management won't make everyone understand that it is their
responsibility to review when required, any process is doomed for
failure at some point or another.
Which brings me to my subject. Yesterday, my management asked me to
come up with a system of document review. I'm writing in FM and
everyone else uses Word. For the purposes of this discussion, no, I'm
not switching back to Word and they are not learning FM
I first considered the PDF review process. However, my problem with
PDF is it creates another set of content, which I have to
incorporate.
My manager suggested a WIKI. I'm not big on that idea. I want a
workflow process that can be enforced on the reviewers.
I also considered impelementing something similar to what I saw in a
Macromedia HTML help where when the reader clicked a button, a java
script launched that allowed the integration of content right onto
the help topic for all to see. I kinda like that, but again the same
problem as PDF, getting their stuff into my stuff.
My current thoughts are to use WWP Final Draft. My understanding is
that I author in FM, they edit in Browser. Correct? My question is
how do I incorporate their changes/content back into my FM. Is there
a process that I can review their stuff, then bring it into my FM
documents?
Any comments are welcome.
=====
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
?Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone
amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built
the Titanic.? - Dave Barry
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