Re: About responsibility and fault
I agree that writers are responsible for their work. What I'm suggesting is
that in some circumstances, they are forced to create documentation with
errors, often with the "blessing" of management.
That could be the case, depending on what you consider an "error." I have
certainly produced documents which, while accurate at the time of their
deadlines, subsequently became inaccurate because of last minute changes
to product that were made after the docs went to press. That's why we have
readme files. I have also produced docs I considered incomplete, because
my management didn't dedicate the necessary resources to allow every last
feature to be documented. In that case, I sat down with product managers
and prioritized to determine what critical information had to be included and
what could be put off until the next release. Both of these situations are often
unavoidable. But publishing docs with information that has not been verified
as correct at the time, I would not consider unavoidable. When I put something
into a document, I verify its accuracy, even if it means making a $%^%& pest of
myself or sitting down with the product after everyone's gone to lunch or home
for the night and doing it myself. If information can't be verified by hook or by
crook, then I go to the product managers and explain to them why I'm taking it
*out* for this release, and what they need to do or have done to keep it in. No
way do I publish something that I haven't verified as correct at time of publication,
no matter who "blesses" the idea of not verifying, because I know they're not
going to stand up and take the blame if #$%^ hits a fan because it's wrong.
Gene Kim-Eng
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References:
About responsibility and fault: From: Eric J. Ray
Re: About responsibility and fault: From: Kat Nagel, MasterWork Consulting
Re: About responsibility and fault: From: Bonnie Granat
Re: About responsibility and fault: From: Bruce Byfield
Re: About responsibility and fault: From: Bonnie Granat
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