Re: Organizational Structure and Technical Writers

[Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>]

>I am looking for opinions on where a technical writer or
> writing department best fits into an organization.

To make sweeping generalizations, Sales is too tactical, Marketing is too
non-technical, and Engineering is too indifferent to the end users.

So you try to balance the evils.  Sales and Marketing are the most likely
to understand the benefit of your work, but are unable to provide much
direct help.  Engineering can provide direct help, but most engineers
don't want to think about the end-users, so they don't understand why
you're pulling down a paycheck at all.

Because technical writing is a cross-departmental, cross-mindest straddle,
you REALLY want to end up under a manager with a similarly broad attitude,
who isn't too burned out, and isn't a powerless political pariah inside
the company.  Such people can sometimes be found.

If you're forced to work for a relatively clueless manager, I suggest
the Marketing Department, because they have some concept of end-users,
and because, as a class, they're not the kind of cheapskates that engineering
managers are.  Heck, some of them have even acquired a thin
veneer of management training!

        -- Robert

--
Robert Plamondon * Writer * robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (408) 321-8771
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