Comments on: Cures for the Information Exclusion Complex http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/ The Latest Trends in Technical Communication Sun, 27 May 2012 07:07:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Streamyx Hu http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-149011 Streamyx Hu Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:09:07 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-149011 heya, many thanks. heya, many thanks.

]]> By: Roy http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148608 Roy Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:24:32 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148608 As well as having full access to the bug list, each morning I receive an email that lists all the fixes that where committed to the version control system the previous day. I can often recognize a GUI change by the three letter extension on files that were checked in. If something surprises me I can talk to the developer whose name is associated with the check-in. As the lone technical writer I am also part of the software development team and therefore get to attend most meetings with the developers. As well as having full access to the bug list, each morning I receive an email that lists all the fixes that where committed to the version control system the previous day. I can often recognize a GUI change by the three letter extension on files that were checked in. If something surprises me I can talk to the developer whose name is associated with the check-in. As the lone technical writer I am also part of the software development team and therefore get to attend most meetings with the developers.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148441 Tom Johnson Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:15:07 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148441 Yeah, it doesn't quite work out if everyone isn't using the system. Our PMs add user stories to JIRA. But I do admit that in the initial design of the application, not every user story is added to JIRA. Just the main ones. The prototypes have a lot of detail not explicitly stated as a user stories. Yeah, it doesn’t quite work out if everyone isn’t using the system. Our PMs add user stories to JIRA. But I do admit that in the initial design of the application, not every user story is added to JIRA. Just the main ones. The prototypes have a lot of detail not explicitly stated as a user stories.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148438 Tom Johnson Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:02:03 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148438 Thanks Regaraman. I like that you're flexible enough to wear multiple hats on a project. Thanks Regaraman. I like that you’re flexible enough to wear multiple hats on a project.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148437 Tom Johnson Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:01:10 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148437 Ben, thanks for the tip about packaging small fixes in with larger ones. That's a good strategy. I've found that a lot depends on the project manager. Some PMs don't think tech writers belong in JIRA at all, while others open the doors wide and invite you to start logging everything and anything. Like you, though, I'm becoming more and more awakened to how central JIRA (or TFS) is on a project. We should really be in there from the minute we join the project. Ben, thanks for the tip about packaging small fixes in with larger ones. That’s a good strategy. I’ve found that a lot depends on the project manager. Some PMs don’t think tech writers belong in JIRA at all, while others open the doors wide and invite you to start logging everything and anything. Like you, though, I’m becoming more and more awakened to how central JIRA (or TFS) is on a project. We should really be in there from the minute we join the project.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148420 Tom Johnson Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:32:49 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148420 Dan, thanks for your comment. With some projects, I am intimately involved in all aspects of the work, and I attend the scrums, design prototype reviews, customer feedback sessions, user acceptance testing, and more. With other projects, I'm called in at the last minute to provide help content. In those cases, I'm never really integrated into the project. With 600+ IT people and about 4 technical writers, there aren't enough of us to go around and be embedded in every project team full time. We're still educating project managers around the need for technical writers embedded on their teams. Dan, thanks for your comment. With some projects, I am intimately involved in all aspects of the work, and I attend the scrums, design prototype reviews, customer feedback sessions, user acceptance testing, and more. With other projects, I’m called in at the last minute to provide help content. In those cases, I’m never really integrated into the project. With 600+ IT people and about 4 technical writers, there aren’t enough of us to go around and be embedded in every project team full time. We’re still educating project managers around the need for technical writers embedded on their teams.

]]> By: Dan http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148419 Dan Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:02:50 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148419 Tom, Good post. However, I was actually surprised that you mentioned that you were never invited to a scrum (for a couple of reasons, actually). In scrum, you're not supposed to need to be invited. Actually, scrums are supposed to be open for anyone in the company to attend (although only the actual team members can speak at them). We use Jira as well. I totally agree with you about it being a beast to navigate. I swear the workflow and navigation of that system was designed by M.C. Escher. As a result, I actually don't use Jira. Also, our company doesn't get very detailed in terms of requirements (which is basic to scrum and Agile), so I usually find them less than informative. The best method I've found to do this to develop a relationship with the developers (particularly the front-end guys), and then meet with them informally as often as possible. Is this possible in your org? Anyway, awesome post. I'm really interested to hear how things go for you. -Dan P.s. It's also interesting to note that you're not considered part of the scrum team itself. I've seen some groups have tech writers on the teams, some groups have them in their own department as support groups, or in my case, part of it's own cross-functional team with the User Experience group (which works ahead and in tandem with development). Tom,

Good post.

However, I was actually surprised that you mentioned that you were never invited to a scrum (for a couple of reasons, actually). In scrum, you’re not supposed to need to be invited. Actually, scrums are supposed to be open for anyone in the company to attend (although only the actual team members can speak at them).

We use Jira as well. I totally agree with you about it being a beast to navigate. I swear the workflow and navigation of that system was designed by M.C. Escher. As a result, I actually don’t use Jira. Also, our company doesn’t get very detailed in terms of requirements (which is basic to scrum and Agile), so I usually find them less than informative.

The best method I’ve found to do this to develop a relationship with the developers (particularly the front-end guys), and then meet with them informally as often as possible. Is this possible in your org?

Anyway, awesome post. I’m really interested to hear how things go for you.

-Dan
P.s. It’s also interesting to note that you’re not considered part of the scrum team itself. I’ve seen some groups have tech writers on the teams, some groups have them in their own department as support groups, or in my case, part of it’s own cross-functional team with the User Experience group (which works ahead and in tandem with development).

]]> By: Patty Blount http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148392 Patty Blount Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:03:28 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148392 Tom, after reading your post, I figured I'd better check the portal I mentioned in my comment (above)... thirteen entries! Thanks for the push. Back to my keyboard.... :) Tom, after reading your post, I figured I’d better check the portal I mentioned in my comment (above)… thirteen entries! Thanks for the push.

Back to my keyboard…. :)

]]> By: Ben http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148368 Ben Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:49:09 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148368 I actually have the opposite experience with UI text changes that I log in JIRA. The customers prioritize the bugs, so the high-priority ones get done first (makes sense, I guess . . .). My text change bugs are the absolute last thing to get done because they're P3s, unless the customer agrees that the text is confusing and needs to be changed. But a capitalization change? Forget it. That bug will never get to the top of the list. So I take the politician's approach and package my little text change in with a related bug (JIRA pork?) so that while the developer is working on the original bug, he can make the text change. Or if there's an enhancement to existing stuff, I ask the developer to correct the text. No big deal. But I have also been awakening to the effectiveness of using JIRA to keep up on changes and know the status of stories and bugs that are scheduled for a specific release. It can certainly help us feel less like victims of the complex. I actually have the opposite experience with UI text changes that I log in JIRA. The customers prioritize the bugs, so the high-priority ones get done first (makes sense, I guess . . .). My text change bugs are the absolute last thing to get done because they’re P3s, unless the customer agrees that the text is confusing and needs to be changed. But a capitalization change? Forget it. That bug will never get to the top of the list.

So I take the politician’s approach and package my little text change in with a related bug (JIRA pork?) so that while the developer is working on the original bug, he can make the text change. Or if there’s an enhancement to existing stuff, I ask the developer to correct the text. No big deal.

But I have also been awakening to the effectiveness of using JIRA to keep up on changes and know the status of stories and bugs that are scheduled for a specific release. It can certainly help us feel less like victims of the complex.

]]> By: Rengaraman http://idratherbewriting.com/2010/02/08/cures-for-the-information-exclusion-complex/comment-page-1/#comment-148364 Rengaraman Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:19:42 +0000 http://www.idratherbewriting.com/?p=5653#comment-148364 Another good way to track these last minute updates is to be a part of QA team (besides being a TW). That's what I am doing right now. :) nicely narrated, good post TOM. Another good way to track these last minute updates is to be a part of QA team (besides being a TW). That’s what I am doing right now. :)

nicely narrated, good post TOM.

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