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Subject:RE: What department are you in? From:"Megan Golding" <megan -dot- golding -at- dvtsensors -dot- com> To:"Dan Caldwell" <writer -at- hscis -dot- net>, "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Dec 1999 15:44:34 -0500
I am the lone writer at a small company (25 employees total, 8 engineers)
and I work in "Applied Engineering". The other engineers at the company fall
in R&D.
I've never heard of Applied Engineering anywhere else, but the title seems
to fit well for us. We apply the technology the R&D guys come up with. Other
tasks we preform, in addition to documentation: training, tech support, web
support, applications work with customers. In short, I fall in with the
folks who work to communicate the needs of customers back to R&D and vice
versa.
I like the idea of seeing tech writers in Engineering and
Engineering-related departments for high-tech companies. There are several
reasons for this, not the least of which is a physical proximity -- my
office is literally right in the middle of R&D and other Applied Engineers.
By-the-by, though I am the lone documenter at this company, writing is far
from my only task. I am also the lead trainer and maintain a portion of our
web site.
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-10303 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-10303 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Dan
Caldwell
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 11:55 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: What department are you in?
Is there a particular department that tech writers get attached to when
they're the only writer in a company? I recently joined a wireless
telecom startup and found myself faced with the unexpected dilemma of
"where do I belong?"
In the past it was easy to fit into the engineering or development
departments, but the nature my current setting is a little different in
that "development" doesn't exist since our core product is wireless
bandwidth. I'll be working with our customer service, marketing, IT, and
sales departments to write and edit technical docs, publications,
newsletters, manuals, and training materials for both internal and
external customers.
I'd like to hear from other "lone writers" out there. :)
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