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In my case, I run the documentation group, and also own the documentation
printing budget. My stance is that the documentation belongs to me,
and that I'm the final decision-maker. Thus, reviewers who absolutely
insist that all their marks should go into the document get told that
all they have to do is convince me that they're right (or close enough),
and their marks will get in.
This keeps them from pulling rank. The rest of the cure consists of
being willing to spend endless amounts of time with them in an attempt
to reconcile different points of view. It's one thing for a reviewer
to mark up a document and demand that his stuff be put in unaltered --
that's quick and easy, from his point of view. The prospect of spending
three or four hours closeted with six review copies and an earnest,
patient technical writer who wants to reconcile all the inconsistencies
is another thing altogether.
They quickly learn to moderate their demands, and usually a respect for
our concern and meticulousness as well.
-- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon * Writer * robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (408) 321-8771
4271 North First Street, #106 * San Jose * California * 95134-1215
"Writing is like plumbing -- even people who know how to do it will
pay top dollar to keep their hands clean."
