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Thanks for the comment, Bruce. My remarks were directed at management, not
individuals in the Belly of the Beast. Managers know -- or should know --
that NOTHING goes right, even the first time. There are always flaws. When
you have hundreds of facts, screen caps, steps, definitions, and other
assorted odds and ends in any given manual, you're going to screw up. The
question for a manager is how to detect them and then nudge the system into
yielding a better result the next time. Good managers know that almost
nothing goes right. Statistically, you almost never hit a solid bulls-eye. I
myself have never seen a manual of any length that didn't have a flaw in it
of some kind.
Further, even managers who were outstanding employees soon learn that most
employees aren't quite as diligent, and that they'll make mistakes. Good
managers learn how to manage systems, not just people. As manufacturing
statisticians have known for decades, quality can never, ever, be tested
into a product. It must always be built in.
Tim Altom
Simply Written, Inc.
Featuring FrameMaker and the Clustar(TM) System
"Better communication is a service to mankind."
317.562.9298
Check our Web site for the upcoming Clustar class info http://www.simplywritten.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2000 12:03 PM
Subject: Re: Whine, I got no spec
> technical_writer -at- rte -dot- com wrote:
>
> >>Tim Altom wrote:
> >>For example, as a manager, I would actually rather have questionable
> >>content but a reasonably good process than the other way around.
> >
> >As a user, this frightens me.
> >
> >As a member of a department called "Office of Quality", it frightens me
> >even more.
>
> All jokes aside, you're quoting Tim out of context. He goes on to
> say that the reason for this preference is that, with good
> process, he has a chance of correcting the problem the next time
> around.
>
> Personally, I think it's easier to get it right the first time
> around, but that's not the point.
>
>
