Technical writer and project management
For technical writers, it is not surprising to receive documentation request a week or so before product release or launch. Situation worsens when lone technical writer is assigned to handle multiple product lines with very tight, and often conflicting schedules, leaving virtually no margine for internal technical review, peer review, language and style review. However, on the other hand, technical writer is directly responsible for the quality matrix of documentation: correctness, completeness, consistency, clarity, structure and style. So how to ensure the quality while meet the deadline, the answer is: plan in advance and review in details.
I have been working under different organization structures with my current and former employers: under PM, designer, tester, marketing, application engineer and customer support. It is not esay to pick out one and declare the best solution for technical communication -- all of them are target customer of documentation. Therefore, in order not to miss any valuable comments or feedback, lead time with controled process is essential for ensuring the quality. If technical writer is involved in project meeting, one point; if involved in project planning, ten points.
Pros:
- Early involvement secures writer resources by planning in advance
- Writer can control and drive doc development: to proactively ask for information rather than merely waiting for "input"
- Writer knows product better: to view the benefits, potential issues and limitations from user point of view
- Ample review time (80% doc errors are found in rounds of review; even some system bugs are discovered in doc review)
- Reduce SME load in conventional documentation: SME no longer needs to write the first drafts and have technical writer "edit the language and style"
- Review meeting with stakeholders involved: eliminate future dispute over the content
- Review meeting with SME who owns part of the product: to help SME understand the parts they are not in charge of and view the product as a whole
Cons:
- Technical writer are most likely to get overloaded
- Communication cost increased
