TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> Our Dept. has 15 technical writers, and 1 full time editor, and 2
illustrators.
> Each writer performs the tasks of word processing, and proofreader, and some
> basic illustration tasks.
> At one time we had 40 technical writers, 1 editor, 6 illustrators, 1
> proofreader, and five word processors. So goes the technology advancement in
> word processing.
> Gene Barron
> Senior Technical Writer
> Smiths Industries Aerospace & Defense Systems Inc.
> 4141 Eastern Ave.
> Grand Rapids MI 49518-8727
In a related story, my department had five managers, two editors,
one illustrator, and thirty-four writers a year ago. There used
to be a few more editors, but they were laid off. Editors only
look at new material -- writers do peer reviews of revised material.
Writers also do virtually all of their own graphics.
In the last year, we have lost one manager and twelve writers through
lay offs and attrition. The work load has not diminished, just
the quality of the documentation and the morale of the staff. So goes
hard economic times in the computer industry. . . .
