Re: Writer/Developer Ratios

[Laura Lemay <lemay -at- DEATH -dot- KALEIDA -dot- COM>]

>None of my several writing positions has had a ratio remotely approaching
 10:1--
>they have all been much higher--15-20:1 or worse. I have always presumed that
>to be the norm. Could it be that I've been mistaken? I dearly hope so...but I'd
>like to confirm my impression...What is the experience of others on this list?


Personally, I don't think ratios are all that meaningful, as they don't
taking into account the complexity of the product, the amount of changes
that the product goes through in its production cycle, and the tightness of
one's deadlines.

In my last job, as a technical writer for a large UNIX workstation
manufacturer, I was the sole writer for a product with ten engineers
(a simple printing software system with a GUI-based installation and
adminstration tools set). I had absolutely no problem keeping up with an
fully understanding the product I was documenting.  I produced three books
for the product which were complete and (IMHO) well written.  Note,
however, that in the company at large the ratio was more 15-20:1 and our
group was considered especially enlightened. :)

In my current job the ratio is 6:1, which may seem like things would be easier.
In reality, because the product is phenomenally complex (its a programming
language with an associated framework of interrelated classes and objects),
and our deadlines are so tight, we are all grossly overworked and have had to
cut back on the scope of ours books several times just to make deadlines.
Even though there are more writers to help out, I am not as happy as I don't
believe I am producing work up to my standards of quality.  I'd rather
go back to the bigger ratios.

Laura