RE: R-E-S-P-E-C-T me! (Please!) -- Was RE: Gnaargh! Or, I Am Not Psychic

Subject: RE: R-E-S-P-E-C-T me! (Please!) -- Was RE: Gnaargh! Or, I Am Not Psychic
From: "Melissa Nelson" <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 13:28:35 -0400


Respect...aww now there is a concept! :) I am happy to say that I am getting
a little more of it everyday from the developers. However, the compliments
are often "left-handed" (as a left hander I actually hate that phrase, but
it is the only one I can think of). For example, a developer complimented me
the other day by saying I was very good at my job and a "real asset", unlike
most technical writers that he has worked with who really didn't know
anything. I replied that I am probably no better than any other technical
writer he has worked with in the past, he just didn't take the time to work
with them, and it took me months to get him to understand what I do. He just
shrugged. SIGH :)

I guess the respect for the profession will come one technical writer at a
time. I think that the thing that really helped me was when the developers
decided back the time of our big release to the week I was on vacation.
While I did as much as possible before I left, they had to finish the
documentation for the release. I came back to work to a resounding "Thank
God you're back", and suddenly I became a much more appreciated "asset". :)

Melissa
______________________________________________________________

From: "Poshedly, Ken" <PoshedlyK -at- polysius -dot- com>
To: "Sarah Bouchier" <Sarah -dot- Bouchier -at- exony -dot- com>,
<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Subject: R-E-S-P-E-C-T me! (Please!) -- Was RE: Gnaargh! Or,I Am Not
Psychic
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 10:59:52 -0400
>Unfortunately, Sarah's rant and many of the subsequent follow-ups
>underscore once more the lack of respect our profession receives from
>those outside.
>
>Yeah, yeah - many, many of us have overcome this sorry state of affairs
>and maintain good and proper working relationships with our
>subjectmatter experts (SME's).
>
>But the mere fact that newcomers or relative newbies experience this
>problem shows how little consideration is given to those who explain to
>the great unwashed HOW and WHY things work.
>
>We're considered "glorified secretaries" by some (yep, I've actually
>heard that one), unskilled labor by others, and pretty much an
>afterthought by those who themselves practically DEMAND a genuflection
>upon entering their office or cubicle.
>
>Nobody disses attorneys, MD's and various other professionals. So what
>should WE do? Wear a uniform? What should it consist of? (I mean, "Of
>what should it consist?"). Probably a THICK, THICK outer material that
>repels criticism and sarcastic jabs, but still presents a pleasing,
>attractive appearance.
>
>Let's face it, it is and will always be an uphill battle - really an
>occupational hazard - to be treated so negligently.
>
>The answer, everyone's on their own.
>
>Those who have been able to attain and hold onto truly professional
>working relationships will breathe purer air and hopefully throw tips
>and tricks to those of us still down in the mineshafts trying to get up
>and out.
>
>-- Kenpo
>(In Atlanta, on a crappy, drizzly Wednesday)
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: techwr-l-bounces+poshedlyk=polysius -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+poshedlyk=polysius -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
>Behalf Of Sarah Bouchier
>Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 11:13 AM
>To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>Subject: Gnaargh! Or, I Am Not Psychic
>
>This will, I suspect, be a familiar rant to most of you.
>
>I've just discovered that, shortly after both I and the client went
>through and checked my company's user manual and online help against the
>product, the development team made some major changes to the UI without
>telling the doc team.
>
>Normally I'd have picked this up through the paranoiac (though
>justified, I feel!) checking I do anytime I have a few minutes spare,
>but what with it being the last few days before the release deadline I
>was working ten hour lunchless days as it was, and I +really+ didn't
>have the spare time to go through the entire product to see if anything
>had changed.
>
>Unfortunately, there's scarcely a process here, never mind one that
>includes the technical authors. The closest thing is the bug tracking
>system, but apparently most of those changes didn't go through it (and
>even if they had, I've yet to train the developers to assign bugs to
>documentation after fixing).
>
>What is the best process you've ever worked with (or dreamed of) that
>enables technical authors to find out about changes/new projects etc
>before the very last minute is past?
>
>The prize for the best answer is me doing my damnedest to implement it
>here :)
>
>S.
>
>-----------------------------------------
>Sarah Bouchier
>Technical Author
>
>exony
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>__________________________
>
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>If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by
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>____________________
>Polysius Corp.
>Atlanta, Ga. USA
>http://www.PolysiusUSA.com
>Voice: 770-850-2000
>Main Fax: 770-955-8789
>
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T me! (Please!) -- Was RE: Gnaargh! Or, I Am Not Psychic: From: Poshedly, Ken

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