Re: Documentation Management

[Svi Ben-Elya <svi -at- ELIASHIM -dot- CO -dot- IL>]

Try writing what you THINK the product does and how you THINK it works. In
many cases this will cause the IPs to point out your errors and explain why
you were wrong. This is often much easier than explaining from scratch. By
the way, make sure to mark the document as a preliminary.

I have used this technique very successfully in the past. It has also led to
positive changes in some of the products themselves.

-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Bennett <bennettk -at- EROLS -dot- COM>
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU <TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Date: Thursday, September 24, 1998 01:00
Subject: Documentation Management


>Hello Everyone:
>
>I need a little advice. I recently landed a contract with a large firm
>to prepare presentations and write various pieces of technical
>documentation, such as marketing requirements. When I was interviewed
>for the position, I was told by the manager(s) that I would have to
>interview various employees in the company for information on what
>requirements would have to go into the documentation I was responsible
>for writing. I was warned too that getting the information I needed
>would not be easy. Having been through this process before, I accepted
>the contract and rolled up my sleeves to tackle a new challenge.
>
>I did not, however, realize how difficult it would be getting info from
>information providers at this company. In fact, the managers who hired
>me found it difficult themselves to get the information they needed. I
>sat in on initial meetings with the managers and the staff seemed to
>give them very little respect or a quick response to their requests.
>
>Sure enough, after three weeks on the job, and having to juggle more
>than one extensive writing task at a time, I was told that I was not
>getting a particular document completed quickly enough. When I responded
>that I had a difficult time getting information from IP people, I was
>then told that although I had excellent writing skills, I was not
>agressive enough with the IPs in the company. I would have to become
>more agressive.
>
>My two questions are: is the writer a manager as well as writer, and
>also, should I walk away from this project which seems to be more
>documentation management (even though the IPs seem to value this process
>to a small degree), or try to slug it out. It seems as though I've got
>to beg, plead, and become a real SOB, write well, and provide graphic
>design skills for this position all at once. Am I Super Technical Writer
>here or what? Help.
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000==
>
>
>


 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=