Telecommuting Tips: Summary

[Suzanne Townsend <ac158 -at- CCN -dot- CS -dot- DAL -dot- CA>]

Re: Summary of Telecommuting Practice Tips

I didn't get a lot of information from people, but many requests for me
to post the summary to the list. So here it is:

General:
- The actual details tend to depend upon the client. [My informant]
starts with a formal approach, but sometimes they want something less formal.

Time Reporting:
- Use a computer-based tracking program that provides any level of summation.

Progress Reporting:
- Send a progress report every week (or other interval), containing a
statement of progress, notes, hindrances, needed material, and the time
summary (daily) at the bottom. The client needs at least this level of
detail on time for their own records. It also provides a basis for
moving the price up if requirements change. The kind informant also
supplied me with a sample progress report and time sheet. Write me
directly if you would like a copy (in ASCII text format).

Conferences:
- Detailed engineer interviews as needed by phone. Always record.  (These
devices are a cheap Radio Shack item. Legalities are mixed; you can let
people know you are recording, to cover yourself. Or, just use the tape
for your own purposes.)

Other Sources of Information:
- Santa Barbara STC chapter held a meeting Sept. '95 on telecommuting.
For a summary of a study covered at the meeting, contact Susan Herman at
the Los Angeles Department of Telecommunications (sorry, my informant
had  no contact numbers).
- STC's "Intercom" also had a two-part series about long-distance
telecommuting for tech writers. My informant thinks it was March and
April. (If anyone can tell me where I can get these, I'd appreciate it.)
* Use a web search engine to look for "telecommute" or "telework". There
are many sites "out there," but the ones I looked at were mostly geared
to the employer, not the worker. Here are some examples:
        - AREVO (Advocates for Remote Work & the Virtual
        Office) has a home page, but I've lost the URL. If
        you can't find it easily, you can e-mail inquiries to:
        morse -at- globaldialog -dot- com
        - Jala Int'l:
        http://www.well.com/user/jala/
        - Telecommuting FAQ, Gil Gordon Assoc:
        http://www.gilgordon.com/faqs.html (or just his
        homepage, for even more related info):
        http://www.gilgordon.com)
        - More Telecommuting Links:
        http://user.itl.net/~gazza/telecomm.htm
- For resources for individuals working at home, try the book "Working
from Home" and others by Paul and Sara Edwards or "The Telecommuter's
Handbook" by Debra Schep.

That's it! Hope it helps (it did me).


Suzanne Townsend <ac158 -at- ccn -dot- cs -dot- dal -dot- ca>

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