Re: Documentation Process

Subject: Re: Documentation Process
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:12:57 -0700

Robert L. Stallard (News Lists) wrote:


I saw a posting on a mayor job site looking for electrical or electronic
engineers to be trained on-the-job as technical writers. Do you think this
company knows what it's doing? No wonder many professional technical
writers cannot get jobs if employers believe they can train other
professionals to be technical writers in a couple of weeks of on-the-job
training.


I recently heard of a local company that wanted to organize a two day course for about a dozen people so that it would have a stable of technical writers. The idea didn't go forward because the company would only put up a ridiculously small amount of money to develop and teach the course, but it bemused me all the same.

I think that the idea would be barely workable if the entire class were experienced writers, preferably with an experience in several different genres. But, even then, I told the company, I would have doubts, even if I were able to handpick the class. Also, the students would need an experienced writer to supervise them for a couple of months, anyway.

And that was the best-case scenario. If I had to bet, I would have put my money on the project failing. Tech-writing isn't the world's most difficult profession, but nobody's going to walk into it, either.

--
Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com

"At poolside picnics they chant for Ferraris and furs
Their muscle tone sharpens but their hold on reality blurs
You can have your cake and eat it, & never have to puke up a thing,
Jerusalem on the jukebox, little angels beat your wings."
-Richard Thompson, "Jerusalem on the Jukebox"


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References:
RE: Documentation Process [long]: From: david . locke
Re: Documentation Process: From: Robert L. Stallard \(News Lists\)

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