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Tag Archives: technical writing
Thoughts on taking a new documentation management job
On LinkedIn, there has been an ongoing conversation about transitioning to a new job as a documentation manager. The conversation has yielded some excellent suggestions, but I’ve noticed that they were all focused inward, on the team. They include suggestions … Continue reading
A CMS is like a Chain Saw
A chain saw will not tell you which trees to cut or what protective gear to wear. To use one safely, you must plan your cuts, use protective gear, and take appropriate safety precautions. Anyone who has seen a chain … Continue reading
Update on Reference Checking
After berating companies for being lax at checking references, I received my second call in under a week, after a long dry spell, which led to some further thoughts…. Continue reading
Checking References
I just got a call asking for a reference for someone who worked in my group a few years ago. I was glad to give a reference, and happy that I could give this person a good one. Surprisingly, this … Continue reading
Does DITA Make You Dumb?
I had a twitter exchange a while back that got me thinking about DITA, structured writing, and the impact of tools on the perception of technical communicators. The basic question was whether structured writing in general and DITA specifically are … Continue reading
Headed to DocTrain/DITA and STC Summit
I will be at both the Society for Technical Communication (STC) Summit in Atlanta next month (May 2-6) and DocTrain/DITA in Indianapolis (June 2-5). At the former, I will be talking about employee performance evaluation as part of a “Progression,” … Continue reading
Podcast Interview about Managing Writers
Tom Johnson just posted a podcast of an interview with me at his website, http://idratherbewriting.com. In the interview I talk about Managing Writers and answer Tom’s questions about the book. Most of the discussion was about managing people, including questions … Continue reading
What Doc Managers Look for in a Résumé
Lately, a lot of technical communicators have found themselves updating their résumé for the first time in a long time. This prompted someone on the Techwr-l mailing list to ask hiring managers in the group what they look for in … Continue reading
Intelligent Content 2009: Day Two
My notes for the conference are sitting in Hertz’s lost and found (along with the very nice conference bag, which, unlike the bags given out at many conferences, was chosen by the organizers to be re-usable). So, rather than wait … Continue reading
What STC can learn about certification from the FAA
As the STC develops its certification program for technical communicators, there are lessons that can be learned from the way the FAA certifies pilots. Continue reading →