TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Developer wants to take over documentation From:Joanne Greene <joanne -dot- greene -at- JACOBUS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 2 May 1997 16:18:27 -0400
If your clients do this, they will eventually realize what a mistake they
made. Unfortunately, it takes a few years. This happened with an FAA
contract that I once worked on. Another 8A company under bid the existing
company, with rates for the tech writers that were comparable to the rates
the word processors/desktop publishers who had supported the first group of
tech writers. Everytime I speak to any of the FAA inspectors who actually
work on the project, all I hear is how inadequate these new folks are.
Recently, I heard that the contract officer was finally fed up and plans to
find a new company to do the work.
>
>I'm on a documentation team facing that same attitude. After five years
>of developing and maintaining 1300+ pags of internal documentation, our
>clients finally showed their true colors. They think all we do is
>"pretty up" what they send us, and that a typist, who they think could
>do what we do in their spare time, would make a suitable, if not
>preferable, replacement. The majority of the clients, in fact, even
>went so far as to suggest that we turn the care of the documentation
>over to the respective clients--after converting them from FrameMaker to
>WordPerfect, no less!
>
><sigh>
>
>Mike
>
>
>---------------------------------------
>Standard disclaimer applies--obviously!
>
> TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
>to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
> Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
>browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
>
>
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
