When document writing does not have or follow guidelines...

[Ellen Vanrenen <ellen -dot- vanrenen -at- clear-technology -dot- com>]

I am in a situation in a start-up company where events are moving at
lightning speed.
The issue that has arisen is that we brought together an implementation team
with a dynamic vice-president. He moves very quickly, and his team had to
write a number of important documents fast. That set of documentation is at
the moment being taught to a second implementation team (we are in the
process of forming even more teams). This second implementation team is also
being provided with a CD that contains the documentation set for them to
follow as templates.
Now, none of these documents contain consistently-used and uniform fonts,
styles, or formatting. For example, fonts differ from document to document
and within documents. There are no naming conventions in place yet, I'm
embarrassed to say, and no formalized directory structure. You can imagine
how difficult it was for me to find the documents requested in training
armed with only their purpose.
The second implementation team is being given a SOW, among other documents.
I have no SOW template. I DO have reference and user guide templates with
defined styles and so forth.
Now I need to play catch up and do it fast. I brought all this to the
attention of my manager. She told me that I can't point out the problems
without offering solutions.
Therefore, I am asking all you experienced (and apparently well-paid)
professionals how you would go about managing this situation. What would you
do first (point out that we do have defined styles they could limit
themselves to)? In what order would you tackle the obvious projects you need
to work on:
1. naming conventions
2. formalized directory structure
3. templates
I think I also need read Managing Your Documentation Projects by Joann
Hackos, but I don't have time!
There's a lot of work to do here, and I need to do it smart.
Advice, please.

Ellen Vanrenen
Technical Product Documentation Specialist
Clear Technology, Inc.

telephone: 303-583-4170 (direct line)
email: ellen -dot- vanrenen -at- clear-technology -dot- com


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Collect Royalties, Not Rejection Letters! Tell us your rejection story when you 
submit your manuscript to iUniverse Nov. 6 -Dec. 15 and get five free copies of 
your book. What are you waiting for? http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr

Have you looked at the new content on TECHWR-L lately?
See http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ and check it out.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.