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Recently we've seen some discussion of online documentation. Yesterday
I found a wonderful book that might help some writers:
title: Developing Online Help for Windows
author: Boggan, Farkas and Welinske
publ: Sams Publishing, 1993
ISBN: 0-672-30230-6
cost: paperback $39.95 and it comes with a diskette of sample files,
templates, macros...
I haven't had time to review it thoroughly but it looks very, very good. It's
462 pages of information about not only online documentation but also about
some project management, theory, etc.
Now, about Karen Kay's very sincere and appropriate question, and the
unkind and callous reply by a writer who said we should all KNOW all about
documentation planning. I've just finished a master's degree in technical
communication, I've been to the STC conference workshops, and I've read
a lot of articles on the subject. We were NEVER taught documentation
planning in school, and neither were the writers I talked with about
document and project management. Horrors, you say? I think not. It
would not be especially helpful to teach students "a plan" when the
students might be going one hundred different directions as writers. Even
planning for online documentation versus paper documentation will differ
slightly. And, there is precious little information in print about how
to plan projects, documentation or otherwise.
We're here to learn from and with each other. The template was wonderful,
and I would like to adapt it for my situation. If ANYONE has information
to share on project management, please do so. I cannot promise you that
there will be no snotty and condescending replies, but I CAN promise
you that those of us who are new writers are eager to learn and to
enhance our professional standing. Someone at the STC Conference in June
mentioned that JoAnn Hackos would have a book coming out in the Fall (now?)
on the subject of project management for technical writers. Does anyone
know about this? JoAnn, are you listening?
Thanks to all who contribute to this list. I have learned much.
