RE: Structuring Tech Pubs

["Debbi Leipold" <debbi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

I know you asked for private replies but I think this applies to many of us
on both lists and the discussion may be more appropriately discussed on the
other list.

I have a tech pubs dept for which i am manager.  I have 12 years experience
with 2 tech writers under me and 1.5 graphics support people.  My department
is in charge of all technical publication for a commercial software
developer.  This includes user's and other manuals, the web, and marketing
literature.  We work very closely with the marketing and graphics arts
departments (each which is comprable in size (marketing a bit bigger).  We
work on the Operations side of the building but also work closely with
engineering.
I find this works very well since it is so important to keep all written
material in sync. However; when I worked on gov't contracts is was essential
to be part of R&D or engineering depts because there was no marketing or
graphics.  It was the app and the docs.

I think it depends if you are doing commercial printing and the nature of
the material you are developing.  In any case, I would recommend keeping one
deptartment with one leader.  Although my team supports multiple products
and multiple delivery mediums , all tasking comes through me.  This way I
can see the balance of the work being done and ensure consistency across all
areas.  A well managed team can more easily serve multiple needs than can
multiple teams.

As for frame relatedness, i think this is essential as well.  We use Frame,
fireworks, photoshop, homesite, golive, quark, (word when forced) and other
development tools.  they all have to work together and  the management of
making artwork that works in frame and on the web  etc is just as essential
as managing content and consistency.

Anyway, I hope this gives you some insight, lets see what others have to
say.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Framers@FrameUsers.com [mailto:Framers@FrameUsers.com]On Behalf Of
> Jim Meyer
> Sent: Monday, March 29, 1999 11:34 AM
> To: Framers@frameusers.com
> Subject: Structuring Tech Pubs
>
>
> Hello, Framers.  I have two non-Frame questions which the members of this
> group are superbly qualified to answer.
>
> Background: Our technical publications group was rolled into R&D ten years
> ago, first as a department with a manager, and recently as a "bump" on the
> R&D leg of the org chart, with no manager but with a de-facto leader (me).
> My company recently split its product line into a legacy R&D group and a
> "next-generation" R&D group, and now proposes to split tech pubs
> - all three
> of us - with one writer assigned to one group and two to the other.  The
> group currently consists of two writers with less than two years
> experience,
> and myself, with thirteen.
>
> Question 1: Have any of you had experience with a small tech pubs group
> being split?  Was it successful?
>
> Question 2: How is your group structured within the company?  Are
> other tech
> pubs departments typically attached to R&D, or is some other arrangement
> more typical?
>
> Please reply to jimm@sii.com, not the Framers list.  Thanks in advance!
> Now, back to those pesky Frame questions...
>
> Jim Meyer
> Senior Technical Writer,
> System Integrators, Inc.
> jimm@sii.com, jim@grounder.com
>
>
>
>
>
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