>Gene Kim-Eng wrote: > >I recently left my job managing a global documentation team in the US (2 >locations), India and Armenia to become the tech pubs manager/sole tech >writer for a small, 60-person startup. Long term the plan is to grow the >team (though probably not to anywhere near the 25 people of my largest >management position to date). This is the fourth time I've started a new >company's tech pubs group from zero (as opposed to taking over an existing >group, which I did once and ended up regretting it). Life is good for the >next year or two, then we'll see where we are as far as VC funding vs. >profitability go.
Although I've enjoyed following this thread, the discussion of starting a tech pubs group and startups didn't grab my attention. This is because I have only taken over tech pub groups, and these were all for very large corporations. I recently interviewed for several tech writer jobs, three of these being for startups. During these interviews I discovered a commonality that I have never dealt with before. That is, these companies have never utilized a tech writer. Some had their developers do their documentation, while one company grew at an exponential rate only to discover that they desperately needed some sort of written record :^) One company actually said that I could carve out my own niche, and that if I wanted management, then they would probably oblige me. So, Gene, since you are the resident expert, what are your pointers for starting a tech pubs group? The obvious, I suppose, would be detailed doc plans, meetings, delegation, etc., but you is the guru :^) - Jim ______________________________________________ Are you a Help Authoring Trainer or Consultant? Let clients find you at www.HAT.Matrix.com, the searchable HAT database based on Char James-Tanny's HAT Comparison Matrix. Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for details. Interested in Interactive 3D Documentation? Get the scoop at http://www.doc-u-motion.com -- your 3D documentation community. _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
