atw: Re: LAST CALLS for the ASTC(NSW) meeting tomorrow night (23rd)
- From: "Warren Lewington" <wjlewington@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 23:06:47 +1100
Missed a great Westies last night Nancy.
SO did everyone else.
Now, you can all come along next month however.
Third Tuesday...
-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Nancy Rose
Sent: Tuesday, 22 February 2005 3:16 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: LAST CALLS for the ASTC(NSW) meeting tomorrow night (23rd)
Well, I am doing my darndest to attend both meetings. They are both
supported (e.g. advertised) by the ASTC NSW and are both worthy topics of
discussion.
Perhaps the wording in the meeting reminder indicated that we may have to
take minutes because we are Technical Authors (rather than just because) and
I guess that perhaps that may cause an annoyance? So, to clarify by using my
own situation...
I am not a secretary nor would I suggest that I have all the secretarial
skills; however, as part of my role as a Tech. Writer I do occasionally run
projects and, therefore, meetings. Just as I am required to run meetings, I
am also (occassionally) required to take minutes (usually voluntarily - in
my organisation we don't have a lot of secretaries and therefore people
throughout the hierarchy takes turns with the minutes and other meeting
roles - 'come to my meeting and you're likely to be given a job to do'). I
don't attend many board meetings either but I do attend meetings.
I believe that understanding how meetings should run, which includes knowing
how to take minutes, is a valuable tool to have no matter what type of
employment. In my role, as a Tech. Writer, I do use these skills in meetings
and in workshops that I run.
I also use meeting skills in volunteer committees outside of the workplace.
We don't have the benefit of a secretary but we get through. What else would
happen in a volunteer organisation or committee, particularly one where you
are required to take proper notes and follow correct meeting procedures?
I am amost interested in both topics - that is because they BOTH relate to
what I do both at work and in my outside-of-work life.
I personally find these ASTC get togethers give me the opportunity to learn
some new skills and to catch up with others who work in the same general
field and exchange ideas. It's never about just sitting and listening for an
hour. So, I really look forward to meeting those of you who choose to attend
either (or both) of these meetings :-)
Cheers
Nancy
From Allan...
************
The ASTC announcement said
>As a technical writer, you may find that you are expected
>at least to know how to take minutes at a meeting, and
>it'll be a useful part of your skills armoury if you can.
No. Absolutely not. I make my own notes, and others are welcome to borrow
them. But I'm not a secretary. That's a completely different skill set.
I wouldn't feel happy about a secretary taking on a technical documentation
task on the basis of good typing skills, and I doubt that secretaries feel
happy about technical writers taking secretarial work.
Some of my colleagues occasionally borrow my meeting notes, and I don't mind
at all. But they are *my* notes, concerned with my interest in the
meeting's subject matter. In the meetings I go to, the chairman usually
makes sufficient notes to build minutes from. But then, I'm a simple
technical soul, and I don't go to high-falutin' events like board meetings
'n' stuff.
I'm going to Westies tonight though, and Steve and I will discuss style
guides. My bit will be brief, and I'm sure Steve will be brief too, because
we all want a good discussion. None of us wants to hear a monologue.
Come along to Westies!
Commercial Hotel, opposite the Parramatta railway station.
If you can't find the place, call 0413 022 056 and I'll try to help. If you
live in Melbourne, you've got just enough time to get on a plane and get up
here.
Allan
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