Yes, when we start acting like the other groups in the company who engender the respect they deserve, we begin to enjoy the same benefits. I tell my students that we are more important to our employers than they realize. This is not just a TW's egocentric view of the importance of our function. As one of the few people on a project team who get to see the big picture of the project, we can build relationships with all departments. We become huge assets to the company. We need to know about users so we talk to marketing, to customer support, and to the folks in the training department. We need to know about the product so we talk to product management, development, customer support and QA. We need to know about what customers expect the product to do so we talk to sales and the business analysts. By the time the product is complete we probably know more about it than anyone else in the company, because literally we "wrote the book" on it.
You have more power than you might think you do. Bill Swallow wrote: > Documentation groups are usually treated as afterthoughts because they > allow themselves to be treated that way. (and many other good things > Bill said) ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DITA West 2007--Use a discount code of "TECHCOMMPROS" to get a discount rate of $200 off the $800 price if you register before close of business January 15, 2007. http://www.travelthepath.com/conf/dita2007.shtml _______________________________________________ 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
