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.
Subject:Doc. Plans and Proj. Management From:LaVonna Funkhouser <lffunkhouser -at- HALNET -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 2 Dec 1993 17:41:08 -0600
//I am trying to write this pyramid-style. Personal info at the bottom.//
Request:
Although I did not request it, I have enjoyed the doc. plan info supplied by
Len, Lori, Laura, and Alun--especially Laura's template. If anyone else has
info to share on this subject, please do.
A related subject is project management. I'd like to read not only how you
(other writers) plan projects, but the tips you have for sticking with your
plans.
Personal stuff:
(This is one of those areas in which if you were formally schooled, you may
be now wondering how I have made it this far without this knowledge. Well,
it is not easy to admit that I need advice in this area. Please accept
that people enter our profession from many different directions!)
Karen Kay's request for information about documentation plans came at a
good time for me. Like Kay, I'm not looking for a job. The job I have is at
a r&d center that had 23 folks laid off in the last 2 days.
So far, tech. comm. is spared, but we were again reorganized.
Part of the consequence of the reorg is a new supervisor who plans to use
documentation plans and formal project management (where we had none
before), and I welcome this change.
As you may have guessed, *most* of us have learned *most* of our tech. comm.
skills from OJT or what we read in STC publications. We are also a goodly
drive away from any location offering training specifically in tech. comm.
(Out of 13 writers, no more than 3 had technical writing in mind when
in college. I'm sure we are not alone in this aspect. I *did*
take the only Technical Writing class my English Dept. offered!) :)
As I said, I welcome more doc plan and proj management posts.
LaVonna
lffunkhouser -at- halnet -dot- com
It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is.
If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't
our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs.
