RE: The Documentation Being Put Through Qual Assistance Process
Subject:RE: The Documentation Being Put Through Qual Assistance Process From:"Melissa Nelson" <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Sun, 03 Sep 2006 19:35:07 -0400
I do not know if it is right or wrong to put documentation through a QA
process, including bugs etc, but I have had it done at all three places I
have worked as a tech writer. My first job as a technical writer had the
tech writers in the QA department, and I work very close with the QA
department at my present job. At my present job, I have a hard time getting
the developers to go over my documentation, and my PM tries to go over my
documents, but often does not have the time; therefore I am learning to
appreciate the QA process and having bugs written up. It is often the only
form of review I get before the end-user receives my documents.
Melissa
From: Agnes Starr <zigrocstarr -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: The Documentation Being Put Through Qual Assistance Process
Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 21:26:18 -0700 (PDT)
Hello Techwhirl
At my job we just had a reorganization and they put documentation under
Quality Assurance of all places. Our documentation is fully RoboHelp -
fully electronic. They want to put the documentation fully through the
Quality Assurance process which means that it is run through the Bug
write-up process. They told me that this means that I have to learn the
Quality Assurance process and employ that same process for the upkeep of
the documentation. First the "Development" phase, and then the Qual
Assurance first phase, then it goes back to Development for Development
Second Phase (which means Documentation) and then the Qual Assurance Second
phase and then it is "Production Ready. They told me that I have to oversee
all of this for me, (I am the only person documenting) and for two Quality
Assurance people who are assigned to review the documentation.
I have a question. Everywhere I have ever worked, in order to put the
documentation through a review cycle, we had "Levels of Edit." We had the
levels of "SMEs". We didn't have it run through the Quality Assurance
department like is done for software. But then again I have never worked
anywhere that was 100% electronic. We have always done it where it was
first a peer review edit, then the programmer, then the manager, then a
person close to the customer, some type of SME. That was our type of
"Quality Control" process.It was levels of edit because it is writing that
is to be read and understood. It is not production and deadlines. It was
not this type of "Quality Control" process.
I feel like I am being given a new hat and I am not sure I like it, or
that I have the background. I can handle it if I am trained but it is like
strict deadlines with all this talk of production schedules and keeping up
with where the Quality Assurance people are which is not even my
department. I have never had to do this.
Did I just miss something in my career path? Is this a common way of
doing things? An uncommon way? Is it wise? Unwise? Or neither?
Can someone give me some idea or their thoughts about what I am being
asked to do because it feels weird. This does not feel like documentation.
My new boss is a QA person and knows little to nothing about documentation.
His only way of judging me is whether or not a deadline is met. His only
way of judging the documentation is whether we can make it fewer topics so
that we have less to maintain and if we can shorten the topics.Nothing is
about how well things are explained and developed for the user. It is like
his whole orientation is from a Qa standpoint and my new hat just feels
like it is very production and QA oriented.
Your thoughts?
Agnes S.
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