Re: How to Convince Development Dept to Provide External and Internal Design Specs?

Subject: Re: How to Convince Development Dept to Provide External and Internal Design Specs?
From: Beth Agnew <beth -dot- agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca>
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:44:29 -0500

Rather than convince a "department", try convincing one or two key individuals within that department. The team leader, the product manager, and the lead developer (your SME) are all good candidates for becoming your new best friends. TechComm is a profession built on relationships. The more developers see you as a member of their team, the easier it will be for you to do whatever is necessary to get the documentation done. Techwriters need to develop relationships not only with development, but with marketing, sales, QA, Customer Support, and the IT department.

Offer to proofread their design specs, on your own time if they're worried about resource burn. Ask to attend any meetings at which design is discussed. Get permission to troll specified development directories on the network for artifacts relating to the conception and design of the product. Offer to present a "lunch and learn" session on the role of Tech Pubs. Be creative in how you let people know that this information is integral to your work.

If you can demonstrate that a) giving you this information doesn't use up their resources, and b) it's an accepted practice within development organizations, you should be able to overcome those hurdles. Get the right people on your side, and the battle is won.
--Beth

"Steve Phillips" <sm -dot- phillips -at- verizon -dot- net> wrote:
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to convince an immature and
resource-constrained development department of the importance of
providing the Tech Pubs dept. with internal/external design
specifications for new product development?

Thanks, Stephen
--
Beth Agnew
Professor, Technical Communication
Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
Toronto, ON 416.491.5050 x3133
http://www.tinyurl.com/83u5u

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References:
Re: How to Convince Development Dept to Provide External and Internal Design Specs?: From: Jason A. Czekalski

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