Re: This too is technical communication

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

I think you will find that the companies that produce bad
documentation, whether by hiring bad writers or by loading
down good writers to the point where the qulity of the
documentation they have time to create is brought down
by the weight of the compromises needed to get it done,
aren't going to give a rat's *ss about what "the profession"
says about their docs as long as their products sell and
their customers aren't grumbling about their docs.

The way we improve documentation quality within our
own company is to have the skills and knowledge to
deliver documentation that is on schedule and meets
the objectives set for it by our management, which
in turn encourages our management to support our 
proposals to make what were already delivering
better.  Right now I have too much to do to worry
about how to expand that to companies that aren't
paying me.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Borokowski" <athloi -at- yahoo -dot- com>

> The problem is that some central authority or voice
> can really help organize a disparate profession. Some
> see certification as the answer.
> 
> I would suggest that before we even worry about that
> debate, we start praising the good tech writing out
> there and making people aware of it. I don't know how
> we can do it for proprietary stuff (samples?) but if
> you encounter an excellent manual or guide or
> description, maybe it's time to just make a links list
> and praise the heck out of it.

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