Re: doc review process--question

Subject: Re: doc review process--question
From: "M. Dannenberg" <midannen -at- SI -dot- BOSCH -dot- DE>
Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 10:18:30 +0200

Nancy Bean wrote:

<snip>

> The supervisors and manager of this department told me they'd like a copy
> of the draft when it is ready for review. They plan to have a meeting to
> go over the material as a group and said they will "decide what goes and
> what stays." Hmmmm. So, when I replied that I'd like to attend the
> meeting, the manager for this department made it clear to me that I am not
> invited.
>
> I'm pretty sure that MY boss can override this manager's decision. So,
> should I push to go to this meeting? How do you suggest I handle this
> situation?
>

I think it's reasonable to assume that the people involved don't have
much of a clue about reviewing docs. I think that, rather than wasting a
lot of breath trying to convince them, you should let them have a stab
at reviewing your doc. Then you can politely point out to them what they
did wrong and why their suggestions aren't all that helpful afterwards.
At that point your manager should also step in and back you up, if
neccessary.

I think it's generally easier to show that people have got something
wrong, and then make constructive suggestions about getting it right
next time, rather than telling them they won't manage in the first
place.

On the other hand, maybe they'll come up with a set of perfectly
reasonable, helpful set of corrections, in that case you should just
count yourself lucky for not having had to sit in on a boring meeting
for several hours. No, I don't think that's very likely either.

Mike

--
Mike Dannenberg
ETAS GmbH & Co.KG
midannen -at- si -dot- bosch -dot- de

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