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Yeah, it's maddening. Happens to me all the time. I don't take it
personally, though. I've been a software engineer before, and I know how
crazy it can be at the end of the process. If you were doing ten hour
lunchless days, I bet the SW engineers were, too. Their managers were
pushing them hard, and their managers' managers were pushing the
managers, and so on up the line.
Please believe me, engineers do *not* like to put in major *anything*
right before a release. But, like tech writers, engineers are
perfectionists. We don't like sending out docs that don't match the SW.
Engineers don't like sending out SW that isn't exactly perfect. We both
have to compromise our ideals.
Having this happen is not a reflection on you, or on the engineers, or
on anyone.
WHAT TO DO?
At my company, we use an agile/extreme/iterative approach to SW
development. In the early iterations, we focus on the UI; the later
iterations focus on features and bug fixes. Everybody likes the idea. We
get lots of testing and early feedback from users. We can adjust our
work to match our priorities; if a low-priority feature gives us
problems, we can yank it. Software goes through interim releases anyway
(FM, for example, is at 7.2), so using that philosophy *before* release
makes sense.
I (as lone writer) get benefits, too. I see and hear about the overall
direction early on, and I can develop my doc priorities in sync with the
development priorities. I am about 50% done with my docs now, and we're
still a couple of weeks away from release! I will have the top-priority
material documented by the time we release, which will be enough for the
customers (mostly internal) who need to use it.
I take an iterative approach to writing as well. I don't mind minor
re-edits as long as the major structure and direction is set. I figure
that the re-edits are a hassle, but worth it; I'm staying in close touch
with my development team and I'm benefitting the customers.
The textbook "agile" approach emphasizes close cross-functional
cooperation. I report to the VP of engineering, and I think this is what
most tech pubs departments should do. If anything, the VP is *better*
than I am at getting customer feedback!
Joe
Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of Sarah Bouchier
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:13 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.
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