Re: Developers

[Suzette Seveny <sseveny -at- PETVALU -dot- COM>]

I blatantly ignore most grammatical corrections developers make.  When I send a
draft for review, I include a covering memo that states "Please review this
document for technical accuracy.  Please do not be concerned with types,
spelling and/or grammatical errors unless you feel the error affects the
technical accuracy of the document.  An editorial review of the manual will be
performed before the manual proceeds to user test stage."

Some developers still like to show me that they can spell, and if they wish to
waste their time in this manner, that is their decision.  When they see that I
don't change wording necessarily to suit their preferences, they soon give up.
 Incidentally, I attempt to avoid the use of passive tense in my writing, and
would just ignore their markups. I don't report to the developers, and they are
not editors; they are subject matter experts and that is all I ask from them.

My advice? State your expectations up front and ignore their comments just as
they've obviously ignored yours.  They'll get the message.

Suzette Seveny
Markham, Ontario, Canada
sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com or suzette -at- yesic -dot- com
------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER:
Any opinions expressed are MY opinions.
Feel free to have your own.
Let's agree to disagree
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On Thursday, December 17, 1998 11:04 AM, Leona L. Magee-Dupree
[SMTP:leona -dot- magee-dupree -at- CCBCC -dot- COM] wrote:
> I gave a copy of instructions to a developer and the developer ignored the
> instructions and changed the sentences from active to passive.  The
> developer tried to edit the documentation.  What does a technical writer
> have to do to get feedback about the accuracy of a document and not "tid
> bits" of how to write from someone who does not know how to write?  Why do
> developers do this?  How should we react?
>

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