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Subject:Re: Word to the wise From:"Bill Swallow" <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:24:26 -0500
Dead-on accurate. Often many people are too quick to bend or too
careful not to disappoint (and then disappoint when they can't deliver
as promised). Speak up, make your needs known, and always say "no"
when "yes" isn't the correct answer.
WRONG:
Mgr: I need you to document this app that will ship in 4 weeks. Here's
a copy of Word. Ted can get you screen shots.
Writer: Um, ok.
CORRECT:
Mgr: I need you to document this app that will ship in 4 weeks. Here's
a copy of Word. Ted can get you screen shots.
Writer: Four weeks is very tight. What exactly are you looking for,
since a comprehensive guide is out of the question in that time frame.
Also, I will need X, Y, Z tools by tomorrow if you want me to meet the
4 week deadline. I appreciate Ted's help, but I need access to the
live app in order to correctly document it. I'll submit a PO for the
software to your attention right now. Let's expedite that, and in the
meantime I'll work with Ted to ensure I have unrestricted access to
the app, as well as gather and read the specifications and internal
documentation to learn about the app. If we can get the tool keys in
by tomorrow afternoon, I should be able to hit the ground typing first
thing on the morning after tomorrow, and will send drafts out for
review every Friday and Tuesday to ensure we're on track and the
information is accurate.
On Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 11:56 AM, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
> Better solution: don't tell the penny-pinchers that
> it's even possible to do this stuff with Notepad.
--
Bill Swallow
HATT List Owner
WWP-Users List Owner
Senior Member STC, TechValley Chapter
STC Single-Sourcing SIG Manager http://techcommdood.blogspot.com
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