RE: Help with Outsourcing Tech Pubs

Subject: RE: Help with Outsourcing Tech Pubs
From: "Barb Einarsen" <barb -dot- einarsen -at- navtelcom -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2005 13:25:03 -0500

AMICO said:
I was wondering if anyone on the list has had experience setting up a
tech pubs department in India or somewhere else out of the country, and
whether you can offer tips, hints, and suggestions for managing
foreign-born staff remotely. What are some pitfalls to be avoided?
Cultural issues to be aware of? Best practices? Thanks.

-------

I have some experience with off shore development and documentation teams. I also have some familiarity with US companies outsourcing documentation here in Canada (yep, I was surprised too, but apparently it is cost effective - and, of course, most hi-tech Canadian technical writers already write in US style).

I have not worked with writers in India, although I have inherited documentation from the development done in India that I used as a base for my own documentation. In my case, the quality has been unianimously horrid. However, I suspect that the Indian 'writers' were actually the developers instead, so your mileage should definitely vary (otherwise it will _really_ not be cost effective).

I also worked with documentation groups in Denmark and the US. I did some projects for the US arm, and worked with both. Certainly the US arm was the most similar in quality and knowledge. But, let's face it, this is a very small sample space.

I agree with the best practices and recommendations discussed by others on the list. I would also add that you need to assign an editor/reviewer in the documentation staff that still exists at the head office and give them authority and responsibility for the off shore writers. Then, that person must approve documentation plans, hold foreign writers to the dates they agree to, review their work and have final approval over quality.

Hope this helps,
Barb


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