RE: Importance of Technical Writing

[melonie -dot- mcmichael -at- amd -dot- com]

Howdy, Yall:

Like a few others have said, it doesn't do much good to 
tell them--show them.

Here is a real life example. I was hired into a small software
company to do all of their documentation. The man who 
hired me understood the importance of documentation; the
man I ended up working for didn't. He considered me pure
fluff. I would beg to get a copy of the software on my 
machine assuring him I could actually write the docs--he 
just ignored me.

After sitting there for MONTHS watching him assign writing
tasks to overworked developers while I twiddled my thumbs,
I went and got a copy of the spec and started writing the
manuals from that. When I presented him with the first 
draft, he was in absolute awe. Shortly thereafter, I was 
given the software and all the support I needed to get the
job done.

When I left the company, he took my hand and thanked me
for my professionalism and a job well done. Not only did I
change his mind about me, I changed his mind about tech
writers. 

Actions will ALWAYS speak louder than words, though they 
do tend to talk more slowly.

smiles, Melonie


Melonie (Lonie) McMichael
Tech Doc Coordinator
AMD-CPD
mailto:melonie -dot- mcmichael -at- amd -dot- com

> Please do forgive me if I am starting a discussion on the often beaten
> topic, but  I cannot resist myself. I need your help. I want to know how
> do I try and explain the importance of the work I do to a group of
> non-receptive developers who think of TWs as 'glorified typists'. I have
> been in this profession for sometime now and I feel that quiet a few
> developers don't know much about this profession and therefore don't
> give much importance to it. I thought of giving a presentation to the
> developers in my office, telling them about TW  in general. Any
> ideas?????? Do you think this will be a good start? 
>