Re: Non-English tech writer

Subject: Re: Non-English tech writer
From: Al Geist <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:21:15 -0500


John Posada wrote:

Why would someone hire a person to do professional writing if the
person doesn't even have a suitable grasp of the language?



As someone who has had his position "outsourced" a number of times, only to
be retained on a contractual basis to clean up the writing, I agree with
John on this one. (In this case, I use the term outsourced to mean the same
as off shoring.) Outsourcing is one thing; however, if the purpose of the
outsourcing is to reduce costs (primarily labor costs), yet the actual costs
actually increase because of the extensive rewrites, then someone at your
organization needs to move beyond the current fad and seriously look at the
true cost of their new document development process. For those who use
English as a second language, please do not take this as a slam against you,
I am questioning the business practice of outsourcing. If you are
developing manuals for Indian speakers, or German speakers, or Japanese
speakers, would you hire someone who writes perfect English, but has trouble
with any of those other languages, and expect to reduce your documentation
costs?
Al

--

Al Geist
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Winning Videos, Professional Photography
Voice/Msg: 802-658-3140

Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: [1]al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
URL: [2]www.geistassociates.com (online portfolio/resume)

See also:
URL: [3]www.geistimages.com (fine art prints for home for office, and note
cards for all occasions)
"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to
answer "Present" or "Not guilty.""
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References

1. mailto:al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
2. http://www.geistassociates.com/
3. http://www.geistimages.com/
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References:
Re: Non-English tech writer: From: John Posada

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