assessing a lone-writer gig

[Mary Arrotti]

This is excellent info. I'd also try to find out whether you will be considered part of the project team (involved in reqs & status meetings) and confirm that you'd have access to builds & project details. Maybe something along these lines....
   
  How will I be involved during a project? Will I be involved in early requirement reviews and subsequent status meetings? Will I have access to builds, reqs, and specs?
   
  I've encountered people who assume that you can write docs without working with product and/or (*couldn't resist*) that you can be involved in project at the last minute. Not good situations to deal with. 

Pro TechWriter <pro.techwriter at gmail.com> wrote:
  - How is this job classified (professional or administrative). (If
it's administrative, ..run, do not walk, away from this job!)
- What tools do you use now? Can I choose tools? Is there a budget for
tools? Can I use open source tools if there is little to no budget? Are
there any restrictions against downloading and testing trial versions of
software, if I need to.
- How has the documentation (if any) been produced up to now?
Distributed? Who owns it? Will I "own" the documentation now?
- Who has the final say about documentation quality (templates, look
and feel, editing, language, standards)? (This is VERY important!)
- Will anyone be able to change my documents? Tell me to use other
language? Edit my work? Send out documentation without consulting me? (This
one is a "lessons learned" for me. It matters, believe me.)
- How is the production schedule set for documentation? Who do I give
my estimates and time lines to? How are those communicated to the
development teams? Is there a master schedule? If so, can I provide the
documentation project schedule to be added to the master schedule?
- I have a documentation life cycle process that I follow. What is the
best way to educate others in the company about this process.
       
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