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In addition to our attitudes and behavior, performance and repeat
performance are unqualified assets. Do the job right, and they come back.
(If you write it, they will come!) Make it easier for the programmers
and engineers, and they will include you (earlier) the next time around.
Word of mouth has been very helpful for me. I get asked to work on
projects because project team A told project team B that I could make their
job easier.
Additional benefit? This adds credence to the fact that we are
professionals.
Kayla Westra, technical editor
Black & Veatch
13718westr -at- kcpbldg01 -dot- bv -dot- com
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From: TECHWR-L
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Why doc aren't tested
Date: Thursday, August 11, 1994 8:48AM
All I can say is "Hear, hear!" John hit it on the head with
the statement that the situation is the result of our attitudes
and behavior.
When we see ourselves as important to the process and are willing
to stick our necks out and get involved, the benefits are many.
If we really want to do something, we can. It is just a matter
of will and time.
I can say this because I have worked in an environment that
did not want writers to be anything more than typists. But over time
(a few years), with patience, the attitude of the management
and the rest of R&D began to change. But the change had to
come from us, a little at a time. Noone was going to
just start involving us in development, we had to find ways
to get involved without making it seem official. Then, when
others saw the benefit, we became officially involved.
That doesn't mean that life was perfect and documentation
got all the time it needed to produce marvelous manuals. It
just meant that our views were important in the design and
development process and therefore we were given more voice
to express our opinions and hold out for better docs.
It is a very long-term process, but IT IS WORTH IT! If
you really want to change your role in development, then
do it!
I hope this does not get me too many flames. I know there
are going to be some responses that it is impossible where
they work, but, really, nothing is impossible!
Caryn Rizell
caryn -at- hpptc95 -dot- rose -dot- hp -dot- com
