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Subject:Reality and the SME From:"I started out with nothing. I still have most of it left." <sharona -at- INTRANET -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 31 Oct 1996 12:33:45 EST
Melinda,
I agree completely that you should *not* get into the habit of explaining
why you don't take every one of his suggestions. Perhaps you can
break it down as follows:
If a *technical* (programming, etc.) change is suggested and not used,
you probably should tell the engineer why. After all, he's the expert
(so to speak).
If a *writing* change is suggested, you have no obligation to tell the
engineer anything if the change is not a correction but simply a
preference. In this area, you are the expert.
You are the writer, the engineer is not. It's that simple. You have
no obligation to explain why you don't take his suggestions in this
area. I have done my share of pointing this out to programmers who
want me to change something I've written because they think it "sounds
better that way". I have never had any of them protest when I have
told them this politely.
I think your problem engineer needs to control things and people and
is hiding behind a false accusation of rudeness in order to manipulate
you for his own ends. Don't do it!
