RE: Pages Per Day

Subject: RE: Pages Per Day
From: Melissa Nelson <melmis36 -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:47:04 -0400

I think Tina the Techwriter said it best when her boss decided he would pay her based on the number of pages she produces. She replied "Fine, I will give a high volume of low quality work!" I have that particular strip hanging in my cube! :)

Melissa




















> Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:14:43 -0400> From: suzette -dot- leeming -at- gmail -dot- com> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Subject: Re: Pages Per Day> > Somewhere I heard the expression "documentation can be 1) good, 2) fast, and> 3) cheap. Pick two. If they want it that fast, and still want it to be good,> it isn't going to be cheap and will probably involved hiring a crew of> contractors to help out. If they don't want to do that, then it will be fast> and cheap, in which case it isn't going to be good.> > Thanks for the link to the dependency calculator, Julie. It may come in> handy when I need to justify my own time :-)> > I use Help & Manual, and tend to complete 4-5 topics per day. Of course,> that depends on the complexity of the topic though. Some topics may take a> couple of days to complete, while others can be finished in 15 minutes. I'd> like to be able to figure out an average.> > Speaking of complexity, our application is modular and consists of> approximately 10+ modules. Some modules have user manuals that are 700 - 800> pages long. I am a lone technical writer who has only recently convinced> them that this is NOT a part time job. I tried to convince them to hire> another techwriter, so that we would be able to build up our knowledgebase,> as well as create training manuals and guides. I should have kept my mouth> shut though, because they love the idea of training materials, and have> added that to my list of tasks.> > I responded by booking vacation (starting next week).> > There are a lot of pointy-hair bosses out there.> > Suzette Leeming> > > On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 11:58 AM, Julie Stickler <jstickler -at- gmail -dot- com>> wrote:> > > I've been using the dependency calculator on the ComTech Web site ever> > since someone posting it to one of my mailing lists.> >> > http://www.comtech-serv.com/dependency_calculator.htm> >> > I've been keeping track of my own productivity for a couple of years> > now, and so far my personal numbers match the estimator pretty well.> > My previous gig ran 3 - 5 hours per page, depending on the project.> > My current gig (which is a *tad* less structured and has no> > specifications to help me get up to speed) is taking me quite a bit> > longer. I haven't finished my current project yet, but the estimates> > from the dependency calculator are 8 - 9 hours per page, which may> > explain why this project seems to be taking forever. *groans*> >> > At five hours per page, tell them that you (lone writer?) can write> > them six and a half pages of documentation in four days. If you've> > got a team, do the math for the team. Then, as Bill said, let the> > negotiations begin.> >> > BTW, how long did they spend coding this monster? I'm sure it wasn't> > four days... Sounds like they brought the writers in a little late in> > the process. I always want to say (but usually end up just muttering> > inside my head) "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an> > emergency on my part...."> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> >> > Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or> > printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007> > Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.> > http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList> >> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.> > Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical> > documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com> >> > ---> > You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as suzette -dot- leeming -at- gmail -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/suzette.leeming%40gmail.com> >> >> > To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> >> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit> > http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.> >> >> > > -- > "What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others." - Diogenes> > Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail> > Need affordable web hosting? I recommend 1 & 1 - that's where I'm hosted!> http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=6815038> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or > printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 > Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com> > ---> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as melmis36 -at- hotmail -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/melmis36%40hotmail.com> > > To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

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References:
Pages Per Day: From: Jim Barrow
Re: Pages Per Day: From: john
Re: Pages Per Day: From: Julie Stickler
Re: Pages Per Day: From: Suzette Leeming

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