Re: Doc Department Blueprint

Subject: Re: Doc Department Blueprint
From: "Cramer, Kim" <Kcramer -at- NCSLINK -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 11:38:36 -0700

> Schweizer, Alex[SMTP:alexs -at- VISTEON -dot- COM] asked:
> I'm looking for typical ways (real life scenarios) in which a
> documentation department might be structured personnel-wise (that is,
> writers, help developers, desktop publishers, etc). If you have any
> ideas/experience of what's good, what's bad, what works, what doesn't,
> I
> would like to hear from you. Please respond off list if this is not
> an
> appropriate topic of discussion.
>
We use matrix management here at NCS, meaning we report to different
people for different things.

Each writer is a member of a product unit. The product manager for the
unit specifies release dates and content, and provides day-to-day work
direction. Most of us prepare information plans and schedules for our
work, subject to the approval of the product manager and other team
members. We're expected to know what we must accomplish and when the
work must be done to meet project milestones.

All tech writers are also part of the Information Development
department. Our department manager handles all hiring and HR issues,
yearly reviews, issues with cubicles and equipment, training issues, and
software and hardware purchases. He does not provide work assignments,
but can help when a particular project needs additional resources by
negotiating with product management to move writers from project to
project.

The Information Development department also has a desk-top publishing
person who prepares the electronic source files for printing hardcopy
books, and the PDF files shipped on the product CDs and available on our
customer support web site. She does this for all product units.

The skill sets of our writers depend on the product. For example, our
mainframe products use a proprietary text-based Help system, so a
knowledge of WinHelp tools isn't a requirement. One writer usually
prepares the information plans and develops both the books and the help
text for these products.

NCS also has cross-platform PC products with Windows Help systems. I'm
a senior writer for one of these products, and I supervise a team of
three other writers. Two team members work on the training guides, and
two of us work on the Help. We share information as needed on new
features and changes. In this case, I prepare the info plan, and
provide direction to the other members of the info dev team on their
assigned tasks.

HTH

*******************
Kim Cramer
mailto:kcramer -at- ncslink -dot- com
Sr. Information Developer
NCS Education, Mesa AZ
*******************




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