Have you written on this one in more detail anywhere (e.g. blog, newsletter)? Or do you know of a more extensive account on something similar by someone else?
-- Milan Davidović http://twitter.com/altmilan http://altmilan.blogspot.com http://ca.linkedin.com/in/milandavidovic On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 12:04 PM, Mollye Barrett <mol...@clearpath.cc> wrote: > OK, can we agree that if we didn't want the responsibility we would not > apply for the job? > If we did want the responsibility, how would we meet the challenge? > I worked with a group of 50 engineers and 8 automotive technicians. I was > tasked with improving the content provided by engineers. This required > establishing relationships and and processes. To be sure, some engineers > were more willing than others. I created standards, provided examples and > worked with people one-on-one. The automotive technicians all became > technical writers with their own area of automotive speciality.Years later, > they are all employed as technicians who write for auto manufacturers. Some > engineers improved greatly, some not at all. My performance reviews always > included a recognition of the improvements or how I would handle the > challenge. I was responsible for tracking individual improvements and shared > the progress with my supervisor. He developed a role for me as the > documentation approver. I could reject poor content if I made solid > recommendations for improvement. > This position was one of the best I've ever had and I learned a ton. > Did every engineer become a stellar technical writer? No. > Did most improve their writing? Yes. > Did the overall technical documentation improve? Based on usability scores > and user feedback, absolutely. > Call me Silly, but it would have been my loss if I had dismissed the > position because I thought it was hopeless. We make our won choices. > > Mollye Barrett > ClearPath, LLC > 414-331-1378 | mol...@clearpath.cc | www.clearpath.cc > http://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyebarrett | http://www.twitter.com/mollye > Skype: mollyebarrett > On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 6:20 AM, Writer <generic...@yahoo.ca> wrote: >> >> What I object to is putting the burden and responsibility on the tech >> writer, rather than where it belongs...on the engineer. I've worked with >> very few engineers who wanted to improve their communication skills or who >> even cared. Richard, in your case, you were asked by people who were >> motivated to learn, and that's great; however, your experiences do not >> reflect mine. Most engineers I've worked with just want to do what they are >> told to do; they don't want to discuss it or describe it. >> IMHO, this requirement is setting the tech writer up for failure. Just >> because the company wants the engineers to communicate more effectively, it >> doesn't mean that the engineers want to, are motivated to, or would >> willingly cooperate with such "coaching". >> Nadine >> >> ________________________________ >> From: "Combs, Richard" <richard.co...@polycom.com> >> To: Writer <generic...@yahoo.ca>; framers <framers@lists.frameusers.com> >> Sent: Thursday, October 6, 2011 6:52:17 PM >> Subject: RE: Scary responsibility in job ad >> >> Writer wrote: >> >> > A local company listed this as one of the responsibilities in a job ad >> > for a technical writer: >> > >> > "coach engineers to improve their writing skills" >> > >> > It makes me laugh and cringe in equal measures. >> >> I'm really surprised at the overwhelmingly negative reaction to this ad. >> Coaching engineers is cited as just one of the responsibilities; without >> seeing what the others are, I have no opinion of the ad as a whole, but this >> specific responsibility certainly doesn't make me laugh, cringe, fear for my >> future, or get defensive about my profession. >> >> I'm asked (yes, often by engineers) language/grammar/writing questions >> fairly frequently, and in the past when things weren't so busy, I did the >> occasional short presentation on some language/writing issue at the end of a >> team meeting. These were well received, and I often got follow-up questions. >> >> The engineers I know are intelligent people who understand the value of >> communicating clearly. They want to improve their writing skills in order to >> communicate more effectively with each other, managers, and other >> departments (sales, support, etc.), as well as with me. >> >> IMHO, sharing what I know with people who see the value of learning it >> makes me more valuable. And it's rewarding for me, not cringe-inducing. >> >> >> Richard G. Combs >> Senior Technical Writer >> Polycom, Inc. >> richard.co...@polycom.com >> 303-223-5111 >> ------ >> rgco...@gmail.com >> 303-903-6372 >> ------ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> You are currently subscribed to framers as mol...@clearpath.cc. >> >> Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. >> >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to >> framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com >> or visit >> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/mollye%40clearpath.cc >> >> Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit >> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. >> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to framers as milan.li...@gmail.com. > > Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/milan.lists%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > > _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.