Re: Thoughts on working WITH developers...

["HICKEY, John David" <jdhickey -at- GROUPE-PROGESTIC -dot- COM>]

Greetings!

>*The "I'm busy" syndrome.  Hey, I'm busy too!  If I weren't, I'd probably
>not have my job.  My response to this excuse is usually a jocular, "Aren't
>we all."

I've gotten this attitude as well, although the most extreme case of it was
when I needed to interview a SME and he flat out stated he had no time to
spend reading/correcting/commenting on the documentation. His defense was:

"If I don't have time to code it, you won't be able to write about it."

To which I replied:

"And if I don't write about it, no one will be able to understand it. If
they don't understand it, they can't use it and it makes your work
worthless."

When this SME finally did show up for a review of the documentation, he
charged into the meeting room declaring: "I hope you realize that I'm
volunteering my time here!" (I found out later that his supervisor forced
him to show up). To which I replied, "Are you still getting paid? Yes? Then
how is it volunteer work, exactly?"

Okay, I guess this isn't the best example of making friends amoungst the
SMEs. But there's only so much bullying, intimidation, and frustration I
should have to put up with before I start pushing back.

---
Be seeing you,

John David Hickey
Technical Writer
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Groupe-Progestic
Montreal, Quebec
514-842-7995

Do not confuse my opinions with my employers'
Each exists in blissful ignorance of the other.
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