Re: Starting over (long)

[doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com]

On Monday 23 January 2006 10:01, John Posada wrote:

> I'm not so sure that an editor would have been able to do much in my
> situation. This is because much of what is documented requires a
> considerable amount of setup. That's the whole reason why this
> deletion of the envoronment was so upsetting. For instance...to get
> to the functionality of creating custom content, you first have to
> create and setup a client. Then in that client, you have to set up an
> employee. What took me three lines to describe takes over 50 pages of
> documentation. It was at this level that I discovered my "errors".

I'm trying to identify a useful lesson from your travails, but it seems like a 
Rorschach test--it brings lots of experiences to mind, but none are a really 
good fit. If I had a copy of those "No one can hear you scream" error 
messages that made the rounds a few years ago, I'd post it.  

But the long and short of it, if I grasp what you're saying, is that you did 
the groundwork, you created some canned data and an environment for 
screenshots, etc, and now it's gone, while you still have documentation tasks 
remaining to extend over the horizon, and you're getting tired of it.  If I 
(who seem to be perpetually looking for work) were you (who seems to have a 
pretty secure gig), I think I would do what it takes to hang in there.  
Schedule more things to look forward to--you know, like stay in town instead 
of commuting, have a good meal in a restaurant after work, take in some live 
music instead of taking work home...

I've been thinking of writing technical fortune cookies as a side line.  Your 
predicament inspired this one, hope it cheers you up.  Feel free to try it 
out on your cow orkers:

"Documentation is a zen garden.  It is not a satisfying journey through a 
collection of lush, placid leaves and flowers. It's a patch of barren gravel, 
raked into a sort of order, with a hidden message of completeness that will 
be revealed in the fullness of time."

Ned Bedinger
Ed Wordsmith Technical Communications

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

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help includes a one-click RoboHelp project converter. It's that easy.  Watch the demo at http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com

To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.