RE: Documentation and Training

["Giordano, Connie" <Connie -dot- Giordano -at- bankofamerica -dot- com>]

John,

I'd be curious to see how and if this approach works in larger organizations.  I've been successful in combining this functions in the past, but the company I worked for was very small. It gave me the opportunity to go on-site to observe how users actually work with the products, and that was invaluable for documentation, training, customer service, and QA purposes.  It's also why I like to refer to the whole gamut as user support...I think it's critical to the success of any software product (and lots of other products and services too), to recognize how these areas actually link together to reach the ultimate goal, productive users and happy customers.

I would try to take the opportunity to bring that kind of integrated vision to these areas.  It allows each area to add value to the company and its products, which is usually music to the ears of management.  Find the key people in each of the areas and figure out what their personal and professional goals are, how they synch up with company goals, and then it should be clearer on how you can craft a strategy for integrating the pieces.... everybody wins something.

Don't know if it helps for your situation, but it has worked for me in the past.  Good luck!

Connie Giordano

Contract Technical Writer, Bank of America
Principal, The Right Words

www.therightwords.com

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"
-Walt Disney



-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-152079 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-152079 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of John
Posada
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 2:01 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Documentation and Training



Hi, guys...Due to the removal of a person at my company, the position
of Manager of Education and Training has become available.

Unfortunatelty, I cannot keep my hand from waving in the air while my
mouth yells "OOh..OOOh...Pick ME Pick ME!" (what can I say...it's a
personality fault I'm working on).

In speaking with my boss, we've been trying to figure out how we can
combine what I do as Manager of Documentation with that position.

The delema I face is that part of the position requires a trainer to
be onsite during the installation when a new customer is signed up.

I guess I'm kinda rambling here...my question is...has anyone been
successful in integrating the two positions? What I'm thinking is
that since we already have Customer Support/Technical Support people
on staff who visit customers a great deal and do training to a
certain degree, what I'd like to do is be the one who creates all
training material and sets the tone/policy on how training is done,
which is then delivered by the CS/TS people.

Does anyone have a similar situation at their place and if so, how
well does it work out?

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer

=====
John Posada, Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com

...and everything...is...42
             --- Deep Thought


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