REquest for advice on Workflow & Tools

Subject: REquest for advice on Workflow & Tools
From: Joe <jsokohl -at- mac -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 00:06:41 -0400


Hi all,

Here's a request for input. Situation: I'm a new tech writer with a group of strategic-level software (enterprise) architects. they produce all sorts of documents...strategic vision papers, blueprints, guidelines, that sort of thing (no user manuals or online help). Current process is they use Word, send the Word around for comment/review, and ultimately publish finals in PDF on an intranet.

I'm thinking of this workflow:

Architect creates draft in Word 97 (standard, not upgradeable) --> I edit in Word --> Architect gets technical reviews --> I edit finals --> Architect gets approvals --> I publish with FrameMaker 7 and WebWorks to both PDF and HTML

Reasons for FM: Document design control, mostly, as well as single-source publishing, basic version control
Detractions from FM: Cost, bottleneck, dependence on Adobe
Reasons for Word: Architects have it, control changes faster, I don't become a publication bottleneck, no divergence of versions
Detractions from Word: Shared templates don't work (Word does weird things based on writers's normal.dot's resident on their computers), numbers are a nightmare, easy for non-approved changes to occur

I'm looking for advice on workflow, cooperation, and also tools. Thanks!


joe
Joe Sokohl
Sokohl & Associates
----------------------------
Helping create digital solutions for real people
Technical writing, information architecture, and usability consulting
----------------------------
www.sokohl.com
www.cafepress.com/hcistuff (for fun)
+1-804-355-7227
+1-804-873-6964 (mobile)


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