Re: Re[2]: Techie First or Writer? -Reply

Subject: Re: Re[2]: Techie First or Writer? -Reply
From: Joanna Sheldon <cjs10 -at- CORNELL -dot- EDU>
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 20:24:22 -0400

At 10:00 11/10/96 +0000, David wrote:
>Michael Sechelski said

>> <snip> The difference is that
>> engineers/programmers/etc are "producers"
>> whereas tech comm is an "add-on service"
>> that doesn't really produce anything, takes
>> up office space and burns electricity to
>> produce those d___ manuals that nobody uses
>> anyway. I think that's the perception in
>> the eyes of a lot of upper management.

>That is the perception and it will take a while longer to change that
>perception. STC is no help even after trying to figure out what a technical
>writer adds to a product or company, because the best they came up with, as
>far as I've been told, is that we are a cost or profit center. I disagree
>with both, but only in the context of software vendors. Pharmaceutical
>companies doing compliance, or other companies doing ISO will still classify
>us as cost or profit centers.

I find it's good policy to point out from time to time that the company has
*no* product if the customer does not understand how to use the
hardware/software. In other words:

Product = hardware and/or software + documentation.

Joanna


Previous by Author: Re: (no subject heading)/Mike & Sherri
Next by Author: Re: Writing for translation
Previous by Thread: Re: Techie First or Writer? -Reply
Next by Thread: Re: TECHWR-L Digest - 6 Oct 1996 to 7 Oct 1996


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads