TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Total Quality Leadership and Writing From:Chuck Banks <chuck -at- ASL -dot- DL -dot- NEC -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 22 Oct 1993 11:20:45 CDT
Linda,
At the Society for Technical Communication's International
Technical Communication Conference in Dallas, Texas, Charles Fisher
and Kurt Gustafson presented a paper and workshop on _Using_Total_
_Quality_Management_to_Manage_Technical_Reviews.
You might try contacting them for a copy of their materials
or list of references. Kurt is available at kgustafs -at- hern -dot- med -dot- osd -dot- mil
All I have on Charles Fisher is his postal address:
Charles Fisher
Senior Documentation Specialist
Datatel, Inc.
4375 Fair Lakes Court
Fairfax, VA 22033
Phone: (703) 968-4588
We at NECAM began a TQM program guided by a team from:
Organizational Dynamics, Inc. (ODI)
Twenty-Five Mall Road
Burlington, Mass. 01803
Up front, adapting to TQM can be a long process of fits and
starts. You'll see some few results immediately. The deep structural
changes that may be needed in any given company can take YEARS to
accomplish (5 to 10 years). You have to change how people think,
change their working habits, or everyone slips back into old routines.
There will be setbacks. That's part of why it can take so long.
The main focus of the process is to wring the adversarial
viewpoint out of your entire firm's working relationships, internal
and external. Change from us versus them to we. Everyone has to
learn to team up with co-workers within and without the firm.
You have to look at everyone you work with as your customer and
as your supplier. Each one supplying something of what the other
one needs to get the job done for the ultimate customer, the one
who buys the goods or services the firm produces.
Charles and Kurt can give you a better, more detailed,
introduction to TQM than I can. Just contact them.
I hope this helps.
Best Regards!
Chuck Banks
--
__ ________ ______
|\\ | || // Chuck Banks
| \\ | ||_______ || Senior Technical Writer
| \\ | || || NEC America, Inc.
| \\| \\______ \\______ E-Mail: chuck -at- asl -dot- dl -dot- nec -dot- com
America, Incorporated CompuServe: 72520,411
