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Subject:RE: Our value as Tech Writers vs Trainers From:"Hauglie, Joe" <jhauglie -at- ti -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Oct 2003 09:49:05 -0500
Dratndarn asked:
<Snip: ...how would you define our unique value relative to instructional
designers' value?>
Having been on practically all sides of these types of teams (tech
pubs/training/tech training/org development), one good approach may be to
find allies in the trainer corps who have to work with cruddy material; then
demonstrate your value in being able to produce better quality stuff that
can be used (and perhaps re-used) more easily. I have known very good
instructional designers (IDs) who couldn't write well, and who needed the
benefit of a strong tech writer team member to work with. Additionally, you
probably have the further benefit of having worked with as many or more
diverse audiences as the trainers you describe, and your new manager may not
be aware of that. (Not all IDs can say that with a straight face, since
their experience may only be with a niche group.) Maintaining a portfolio
for a time like this would be a good idea, too; since a picture is worth 1K
words, you could give her a glimpse of how you have added value to Team X in
the past.
Joe Hauglie
Technical Editor, Texas Instruments - Tucson
jhauglie -at- ti -dot- com
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