Posted by fallsfall on February 11, 2004, at 13:20:02
In reply to Re: Calling all members of the IHMJ Club » All Done, posted by Penny on February 11, 2004, at 12:37:46
Your job reminds me of the Tech Writer's job in a company that writes software. The writers have to have a manual ready when the software ships, but the programmers never tell them when the design for the software changes. Programmers particularly like to change the look of the screens at the last minute (because it is easy to do for the programmers, and they've been worrying about if the screen works at all before that). This means that every single picture in the document has to change, along with a bunch of descriptions.
Most Tech Writers I know get immensely frustrated. There was one, though, at my last company who decided that it was HIS job to collect information about changes, rather than the Programmer's job to tell him. So he went to lots of meetings and gabbed with people in the hall, and offered to do extra things (that would let him get to see more information). He took the problem inherent in the job and made it his personal challenge. It really worked for him (and for us!). But he's the only Tech Writer I've ever met (and I know a bunch of them) who has successfully done this.
So, you are NOT alone!
poster:fallsfall
thread:312042
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040209/msgs/312087.html