Summary Tech Comm and the Org

[Jennifer Geaslen <jennifeg -at- ALLENSYSGROUP -dot- COM>]

Thanks to Kathleen Padova, Andrew Swartz, Elna Tymes, and Dennis Hays, I
can leave my apathy at the door and work towards some real change (in the
org and in myself). Here's a summary of the responses to my post
"Strategies for Improving the Place of Technical Communications in the
Organization":

All seemed to say in one way or another that convincing an organization of
the value of its technical communications dept. is not an easy task.

Hays suggested taking a business plan approach: Identify the problem,
identify solutions, explain the impact of not changing (negative) and the
impact of change (positive), choose solutions and suggest the best choice
for the company.

Padova also took the "proposal-approach," writing a 30-pager to
successfully get her points across. Padova uses a combination of sarcasm,
rants-turned-rational discussions with her supervisor, and gumption to get
her ideas out and has gotten a positive response (a positive annual review)
based on her willingness to offer ideas, speak her mind, and hunt down
information.

Swartz recommends data collection. Find out what your customers think.
Interview and videotape users, talk to tech support people to find out
users' most common questions, talk to sales people and pick their brains.
Another important point from Swartz: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. He
says that if you gather your information and find out users are satisfied,
then the current system works.

But perhaps the most telling perspective comes from Tymes, who once worked
in the trenches and now runs her own technical communications company. She
says,

"The problem is fundamentally realizing what a company is selling.  My
company's approach is that we only want to work with companies who
understand that basically they are in the business of selling
information supported by things - not things supported by information.
Most companies still think they sell things.  We don't have time for
them, when there are enough client companies out there who understand
the value of information.  THESE are the companies who will survive the
current information revolution.  The rest will either go the way of the
dinosaurs or have to undergo a rather uncomfortable shift in
perspective.

Companies who understand that they sell information are ones who work
closely with customers, who pay attention to how products are used and
what business problems they solve.  The customers of these companies buy
products and services based on how well a particular set of problems can
be solved - and it's the information that tells them how to solve the
problems, not the things."

Perhaps this is the missing element that dictates the fate of the technical
communication's department.

--------------------------------------------------
Jennifer H. Geaslen
Technical Writer
Allen Systems Group

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