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Subject:FWD: Scenario: You're hired a new writer... From:"Eric J. Ray" <ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 29 Jan 1998 21:05:38 -0700
Name withheld upon request. Please reply on list.
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My apologies for posting this anonymously but this bears on the review
process for writers where I work. A touchy subject here, as you might
imagine.
Here's the scenario:
You've hired a new writer (with 1-2 years experience). You've given
them no information on what is expected of them, but you have given them
a variety of assignments. What do you expect them to be able to do with
the following assignments:
Convert to documents to on-line.
Index a new manual.
Input edits marked-up by your technical editor.
Write a documentation plan.
Write a manual.
Write a white paper.
Update a manual.
To what standards do you hold your writers? How did you choose these
standards?
I ask this question because I am wondering about the assumptions we hold
as tech writers. What is it assumed that we should be doing (and
therefore it never needs to be mentioned) and what warrants specific
instructions?
TIA!
