Re: Delegating (was: Working later than the boss)

Subject: Re: Delegating (was: Working later than the boss)
From: "Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2007 10:00:34 -0700

----- Original Message -----
From: "James Barrow" <vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net>

> So how does one go from flying solo to flying in formation? ;^) Should I
> take the time to type my meeting notes so that the new resource can convert
> these to requirements? Should I just dump all of the information in their
> laps and say 'call me if you have any questions'?

How "new" are the hires? Experienced writers or wet-behind-the-ears
entry-level? Do you have to teach them how to *be* tech writers, or
just figure out how to do a brain dump of what you know about your
current work-in-progress?

I like Sharon's advice about shadowing for a week for experienced
personnel. For newbies, maybe more like a month, plus you'll be
losing a lot of their time to training in other areas (like how to use
your tools).

What do you have in the way of documented processes and style
guides? If nothing, you've still got about 18 hours, so hop to it. :)

This also a good object lesson about keeping projct notes and
logs. If you haven't been doing this it's too late, of course, but
have the new hires do it so you can sit down with them as you
transition project work to them and review their work, if for no
other reason that that it will help you track what you've handed
over to them.

> Tech writers, as well as the type of project that
> we've undertaken, is new to our management. They believe that a) tech
> writers are nothing more than scribes and b) 50-page use cases should be
> completed in a few hours. The fact that poor management has stalled the
> project for nine months is irrelevant. It simply means that the tech
> writers will have to type 300wpm.

Did you know this before you took this job?
> That's what they did to me. "Hi Jim, here's the link to the shared drive. I
> think there's information out there that will explain what we're working on.
> Good luck."

Hmmm, how much corporate culture kool-aid have you been
drinking that continuing this practice is even a thought?

Gene Kim-Eng
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Delegating (was: Working later than the boss): From: James Barrow

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