atw: Re: Visibility of documentation efforts
- From: "Christine Kent" <cmkentau@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:34:12 +1100
Really good question and it goes to the issue of how do we place a value on
tech writing at all. For me, writing is not really our key skill. Research and
analysis are critical.
I had one manager look at the work that I had taken months to produce, and say
“if it’s this easy, why did it take so long?” My immediate manager was
fortunately on-side and snapped back, “Only Christine could have made it look
this easy. No-one had any idea what was going on before she sorted it out.”
Unfortunately, the better we are at our job of sorting out messes and making
things look easy – at which I am very good – the worse our PR efforts. We find
ourselves having to convince others of what a high level of skill it takes to
make the complex look simple, without crossing the boundary into simplistic.
In hindsight, while writing this, a jigsaw puzzle flashed into mind, but a
puzzle without the box lid to help guide the building of the jigsaw. A jigsaw
can take a short amount of time to do or a very long time to do, depending on
the size of the pieces, the relative complexity of the image, how many pieces
were missing and had to be hunted for or replaced, etc. We meticulously sort
through all the pieces and put them together into a coherent picture. We then
present is the finished picture to others and they get to see the picture for
the first time. That picture might look simple, but that is not the critical
variable when it comes to how long it takes to get to that finished picture. It
takes as long as it takes.
Hope all are well and feeling Christmas as it feels right to them.
Cheers, Christine
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Swapnil Ogale
Sent: Wednesday, 24 December 2014 11:04 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Visibility of documentation efforts
Hello all,
I am currently working on a range of content and one thing that has been
lacking is providing the right visibility to my employer about what I have been
working on. We have issue trackers that measure estimates, work log activities
etc.
I provide a weekly status report of the "jobs" that I am working on, but
looking at them retrospectively, I don't think they show the real "value" of
the documentation efforts or my role in creating/planning/designing content.
Given that documentation is one of those things that's not easily measurable
(say, as opposed to a Test Analyst role, where they resolve "x" no of issues
per day), can anyone provide/share insight on how they put numbers or stats to
the content lifecycle?
What apps/softwares/tools are other austechies using to provide "visibility" of
documentation efforts to their clients/employers?
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Swapnil
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