Re: ad hoc work overwhelms plans

[Sally Derrick <sjd1201 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

I'm going to make you all jealous.  :-)  I am the sole writer in a startup
with both hardware and software. I am responsible for multiple online help
sets, hardcopy manuals, controlled internal and external documents, a goal
for ISO-9001, a fledgling installation of most Atlassian products, and a
Sales VP who, of course, feels that his every whim warrants a "holy crap!
drop everything" firedrilI.  I was recently given an 'overflow bucket"  and
a deal with the local tech writing company.  Anytime I get buried (more
than normal anyway), I dump work on them.  They have a writer on
staff that has the skill sets I need.  He is learning our business and our
docs so he can quickly step in to help wherever I need it.  When the bucket
runs out of money, they put more in it!

This is a fairly new arrangement so I'm still waiting to see how it works.
 I'm worried about whether this writer will really be available when I
call.  I'm trying to keep a fairly stable number of hours a week so that I
stay on his to do list. I'm hoping it will hold me until they let me hire
someone.  I'm not holding my breath on that being anytime soon.

Sally


On Fri, Sep 14, 2012 at 9:43 AM, Milan DavidoviÄ <milan -dot- lists -at- gmail -dot- com>wrote:

> Kind of a Friday question; no specific context or examples, just a
> general sort of query:
>
> What do you do when ad hoc work threatens to overwhelm planned work?
>
> --
> Milan DavidoviÄ
> http://twitter.com/altmilan
> http://altmilan.blogspot.com
> http://ca.linkedin.com/in/milandavidovic
>
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