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Re: Follow-up: Acceptance of Mediocre Documentation

Subject: Re: Follow-up: Acceptance of Mediocre Documentation
From: Dick Margulis <margulisd -at- comcast -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 18:58:13 -0400




Katherine Hinchey wrote:

David, you once said that a frequent problem tech writers face is
"everyone thinks he's a writer." Could this be part of Anon's problem,
instead of him not being qualified to work solo?
It seems to me that he took a job -- bursting at the seams with good,
innovative ideas about how to make a real contribution to the company --
only to have his ideas quashed by micromanagers.

I think David's point, and mine, and several others', as well, is that the world is full of micromanagers; but part of navigating the corporate world is having strategies for coping with that fact of life. One such strategy is based on Grace Hopper's dictum, "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission"; hence our advice to just make good documents and present them as fait accompli rather than seeking approval for every change--approval that is generally not going to be forthcoming.

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RE: Follow-up: Acceptance of Mediocre Documentation: From: Katherine Hinchey

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