RE: Work load question

Subject: RE: Work load question
From: "Melissa Nelson" <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 10:25:28 -0500

Thanks for al the replies. Deborah you are correct...what I had been doing the last two weeks was training materials for a group of new people that are coming on. While this is not "billable" it is still important and needs to be done; it just does not make the finance lady happy. :)

Anyway, as I said it is feast or famine and this week appears to be a feast, and a billable one at that!

Melissa

From: "Shapiro, Deborah [BWIIL]" To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Subject: RE: Work load question Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 08:48:17 +0100

Hi Melissa,

I think the real problem is, what exactly is "billable" documentation.

I made the mistake of thinking it was ONLY my manuals and project related stuff that I got a specific billing number for. Thus, maintenance, housekeeping, basic documentation, creating a style guide all fell through the cracks. Suddenly, our company is growing, I need to bring in people to help - but everything is in my head.

I allowed what I knew to be good practice to fall through the cracks because people like PMs and non-writing professional supervisors could not see the importance of these items. Don't do this, its not important. I was tired of fighting for hours to do on "general" because they related to ALL projects.

So now, I really do have too much too do, and when I get help - it is going to be VERY hard to train them. I've succeeded to outsource certain tasks, but now the fight is - why do you have to be involved - we are paying THEM to do it

At the end of the day, we need to learn to build a better business case for ourselves, or for each other (easier for me to do yours than my own ).

You are not looking for make-work - you are finally finding time for the little tasks that if they are not done while there is no pressure - not only will they never be done - but the day you are no longer there, the company will indeed suffer.

Don't know if this helps.

Debbie Shapiro

-----Original Message----- From: techwr-l-bounces+dshapiro=bwiil -dot- jnj -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+dshapiro=bwiil -dot- jnj -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]On Behalf Of Melissa Nelson Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 9:02 PM To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Subject: Work load question


Hello All,

Happy Friday! I had a Friday poll question of sorts! I am in a light load time at work and catching up on some internal documentation that I have not had time to do, which is nice but then my finance lady came up and asked why

I have not done any billable documentation...easy answer...none to do! :) Anyway, I got to thinking that it has always been like that since I have been a tech writer. I am either overloaded with documentation or I am making

up things to do. I was wondering if that is typical for a tech writer...do you all find that you all seem to have a feast or famine kind of environment

when it comes to documentation?

Melissa

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help includes a one-click RoboHelp project converter. It's that easy. Watch the demo at http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

--- You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as dshapiro -at- bwiil -dot- jnj -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/dshapiro%40bwiil.jnj.com

To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help includes a one-click RoboHelp project converter. It's that easy. Watch the demo at http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

--- You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/melmis36%40hotmail.com

To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


_________________________________________________________________
On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help includes a one-click RoboHelp project converter. It's that easy. Watch the demo at http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com

To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

Previous by Author: Work load question
Next by Author: RE: On Office Politics and Being the New Kid
Previous by Thread: RE: Work load question
Next by Thread: On Office Politics and Being the New Kid


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads