RE: The Documentation Being Put Through Qual Assistance Process

["Joe Malin" <jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com>]

I think it's unusual that they put documentation under QA. I'm
disappointed that they're forcing you to adopt the QA process with
seemingly no reason. 

I am not surprised, though, because I am never surprised at *anything* a
typical organization does. In engineering, there's a saying that "when
all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." People with
limited vision and understanding of the real goals have a tendency to
manage everything the same way. This isn't always the best way to
motivate people!

I don't particularly object to having my documentation go through a QA
process. I have been using "bug reporting" for 20 years now, so I'm
usually *more* knowledgeable about it than the people doing it! I was
also fortunate to work at Hewlett-Packard, which was once a forerunner
and leader in real, intelligent QA process.

What you've described is a QA model that doesn't really match the
process you know and use. That's a very poor way of doing QA, and can
not deliver the quality that the department is supposed to provide.

I am sure you find this change very frustrating and upsetting on many
levels, and you should. I do counsel you, though, that change can be
opportunity. You have a chance to learn more about QA and also to show
to your management that you're a positive, flexible, committed person.
Point out when the process interferes with your goal of delivering high
quality documentation on time. Stick to the goals rather than the
process.

Joe 

Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com 
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.	

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of Agnes Starr
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 9:26 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: The Documentation Being Put Through Qual Assistance Process

Hello Techwhirl
   
  At my job we just had a reorganization and they put documentation
under Quality Assurance of all places. Our documentation is fully
RoboHelp - fully electronic. They want to put the documentation fully
through the Quality Assurance process which means that it is run through
the Bug write-up process. They told me that this means that I have to
learn the Quality Assurance process and employ that same process for the
upkeep of the documentation. First the "Development" phase, and then the
Qual Assurance first phase, then it goes back to Development for
Development Second Phase (which means Documentation) and then the Qual
Assurance Second phase and then it is "Production Ready. They told me
that I have to oversee all of this for me, (I am the only person
documenting) and for two Quality Assurance people who are assigned to
review the documentation.
   
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