RE: Technical Writers to Engineers Ratio?

Subject: RE: Technical Writers to Engineers Ratio?
From: Lyn Worthen <Lyn -dot- Worthen -at- caselle -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 14:47:45 -0600


Sorry 'bout the earlier quippy remark.

Non-TW staff:
- 16 developers, 4 sales reps, 12 support techs, and 12 trainers
- we develop, sell, support, and train 26 applications

The two full-time TWs (myself and one other)
- write/maintain documentation and Help files (the other writer)
- write/maintain curriculum (me)
(That puts us at a 1:16 ratio with the developers, and a 1:12 ratio with the
trainers)

In addition to being TWs, we're -also- the MarComm staff
- write content & maintain website
- writing/designing quarterly newsletters
- writing/maintaining marketing collateral
- writing/developing sales presentations, demos, etc.
- writing/developing/etc. Annual User Conference material (brochures,
proceedings, etc.)
(That puts us at a 1:2 ratio with the sales staff)

In addition to being TWs and MarComm, each of us is -also- on the design
team for a new product, with the responsibility for creating/maintaining the
living documentation that will become the functional specification for that
product.
(That puts us at a 1:8 ratio with the other members of the design team)
(Or at a 1:1 ratio of writer:team)

If the "1:" of each of those figures wasn't one of the same two people, it
would probably be OK. As is, I repeat, the ratio is not enough:too many.

There is more work than we can do; management knows this, and other than
suggesting priorities, pretty much accepts our timelines and project
management opinions. For our part, we farm out work to the occasional
contractor when we can, and otherwise do our best to support each other and
keep projects moving through the pipe.

All in all, not as bad as some reported on this list.

L

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Robohelp X3, from eHelp, lets you quickly and easily create
professional Help systems for all your Windows and Web-based
applications, including Net.

Order RoboHelp X3 in May and receive a $100 mail-in rebate, PLUS
free RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module.

Order RoboHelp today: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

---
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.



Previous by Author: RE: Technical Writers to Engineers Ratio?
Next by Author: RE: What to look for in a technical editor
Previous by Thread: Re: Technical Writers to Engineers Ratio?
Next by Thread: RE: Technical Writers to Engineers Ratio?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads