Re: Need suggestions for TW customer satisfaction survey

[Chris Kowalchuk <chris -at- BDK -dot- NET>]

A survey? Not when you are the only technical writer. Are you friends
with these SMEs? Do you go out to lunch with them? They'll give you
feedback if you are open to it, I'm almost certain. Keep it personal if
it is already. In a situation like yours, I would expect your SMEs to
find a survey of any kind to be too formal, and potentially distancing.
Why didn't you just come and talk? Invite criticism if you aren't
getting any. The next time you get a blanket "yes, your work is good
(read: especially because I didn't have to do it)", request more
specifics, or say something like:

"OK, but is there anything you would like to see? Anything that would
benefit from being stronger, or more detailed, or is there anything you
think is unnecessary."

Most people, if given a chance, don't mind turning critic, especially if
it's a "shoot the breeze" situation where they don't feel under too much
pressure, and are therefore willing to be more creative and thoughtful.
Ironically, despite our ever-increasing insistence, professionally, on
metrics and systematic feedback etc., I think you can get far more out
of an informal approach, especially if your environment is already
conducive to it. What would you rather do: have coffee and chat, or fill
out a survey form? I've often derived immeasurable benefit from the
former, and am highly skeptical of the latter. If you would like to
tabulate facts as a work aid, then do so yourself, but don't ask your
SMEs to do it for you, not if they are willing to talk to you one-on-one
anyway.

That is my sense of what is appropriate for your environment. I realize
of course that I may have insufficient information on your environment
and what might work within it. So forgive me for not addressing the
question directly, or providing any survey tips, but maybe others will
have some better ideas about that.

Chris Kowalchuk

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