OK, can we agree that if we didn't want the responsibility we would not apply for the job? <div>If we did want the responsibility, how would we meet the challenge? </div><div><br></div><div>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. </div>
<div><br></div><div>This position was one of the best I've ever had and I learned a ton. </div><div>Did every engineer become a stellar technical writer? No. </div><div>Did most improve their writing? Yes. </div><div>
Did the overall technical documentation improve? Based on usability scores and user feedback, absolutely. </div><div><br></div><div>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.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Mollye Barrett</div><div>ClearPath, LLC </div><div><div><div><div>414-331-1378 | <a href="mailto:mollye@clearpath.cc" target="_blank">mollye@clearpath.cc</a> | <a href="http://www.clearpath.cc/" target="_blank">www.clearpath.cc</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyebarrett" target="_blank">http://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyebarrett</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mollye" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/mollye</a></div><div>Skype: mollyebarrett</div>
</div></div></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 6:20 AM, Writer <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:generic668@yahoo.ca">generic668@yahoo.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div><div style="color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>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.</span></div>
<div><br><span></span></div><div><span>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".</span></div><div><br><span></span></div><div><span>Nadine<br></span></div><div><br><blockquote style="border-left:2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255);margin-left:5px;padding-left:5px"><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt">
<div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><font face="Arial" size="2"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b> "Combs, Richard" <richard.combs@Polycom.com><br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> Writer <<a href="mailto:generic668@yahoo.ca" target="_blank">generic668@yahoo.ca</a>>; framers <<a href="mailto:framers@lists.frameusers.com" target="_blank">framers@lists.frameusers.com</a>><br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, October 6, 2011 6:52:17 PM<br><b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> RE: Scary responsibility in job ad<br></font><br>Writer wrote:<br> <br>> A local company listed this as one of the responsibilities in a job ad<br>
> for a technical
writer:<br>> <br>> "coach engineers to improve their writing skills"<br>> <br>> It makes me laugh and cringe in equal measures.<br><br>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. <br>
<br>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. <br>
<br>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. <br><br>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. <br>
<br><br>Richard G. Combs<br>Senior Technical Writer<br>Polycom, Inc.<br><a href="mailto:richard.combs@polycom.com" target="_blank">richard.combs@polycom.com</a><br><a href="tel:303-223-5111" value="+13032235111" target="_blank">303-223-5111</a><br>
------<br><a href="mailto:rgcombs@gmail.com" target="_blank">rgcombs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="tel:303-903-6372" value="+13039036372" target="_blank">303-903-6372</a><br>------<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></div></div>
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