3rd party documentation

[Julie Selman <jselman -at- TEGIC -dot- COM>]

*snip*
Some people like to control the quality of documentation for their products,
which can reflect well or poorly on the usability of their product.
Therefor, they reserve rights to approve or block reproduction of their
icons, their text, even a discription of the functions of the product.
*snip*

It is fun to try an "attitude" adjustment here:  documentation has a real
opportunity to build relationships within business partnerships.  By
contacting the third-party documentation department, several opportunities
open up:  (aside from control and quality)
1.  The vendor feels valued, as they can share some of their "tricks" and
best ways to document their product.
2.  You get to share the specifics of how you are using and wanting to
document their product -- thus improving their ability to provide you with
better docs in the first place.
3.  Often you can seed "the other side" with product suggestions:  how often
do documentation people get this chance to communicate their opinion on
design?
4.  You don't have to discover everything, re-invent the wheel, and lose
time that could be otherwise spent.

Often the material you might receive from the vendor will need to be
adjusted and go through a review cycle, but often it is a great way to get
some feedback on your own work.

I may be idealistic, but as a writer for a "third party" provider I work in
arrangements like this all the time.  It is great fun, and builds both
*products* in a way that serves end users better than any one group working
alone.
Good luck with your project!
___________________________________________________
Julie Selman
Tegic Communications
*(206) 343-7001 ext. 118

jselman -at- tegic -dot- com
www.tegic.com
"Fast, easy, and intuitive text input for wireless communication."

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