(With answers that will save you money,
increase profits, and improve your company…)
Questions we are often asked:
(Click on any question,
or scroll down the page…)
1. Can you explain your definition of “Quality?”
2. What items are included in the term “Publications?”
3. What does a Publications Specialist do?
4. Why can’t my technical people just write the manual after they’re done
with the product?
5. Why not just hire a “tech writer?”
6. Is your system an accounting program?
8. What are the advantages of using a consultant or contractor instead of
hiring an employee?
9. How do you guarantee I’ll get my money’s worth?
10.
Can you help me take advantage of the latest advances in
information and learning technology?
11. Are you a personnel or staffing firm?
12. What word processor do you use?
1.
Can you explain your definition of “quality?”
|
The
word “quality” derives from the Latin “qualitas,” which means “fitness for
the intended purpose.” In our work,
the term applies to reports, corporate documents, and user publications that
are the deliverables we produce in consideration of fees. When a
publication is complete and correct, and is organized so the user can find
the information the user needs and put the information to use when needed,
the publication contains the most basic elements of “fitness for its
purpose,” and can be said to be of good quality. When a
publication is also well designed and reflects the image of “fitness for its
purpose” that you have made sure was true of your product: when the publication is a pleasure to use,
attractive to the eye, handy, and reliable, then the publication contains all
the elements of “qualitas,” and can be said to be of the finest quality. It is
for this goal that David Cook strives in everything he does. |
About the Publications Specialist…
2.
What items are included in the term “Publications?”
|
The
term “Publications” is a very broad one, and the skills and knowledge of the
Publications Specialist must be equally inclusive. When we talk about publications, we
generally include the following kinds of work… (Click on any item for more
information.) • Training Classroom
Presentations • Quick
Reference Cards/other aids • Newsletters,
User Group Materials, and Notes • Engineering
Reference Materials • Management
Systems Information • Project
Management Detail Materials …in
special situations, there may be other categories of work involved. Every type of publication you find
appropriate to your product and its market must be designed and developed
from the beginning to the highest standard of quality and by the most
up-to-date methods. That’s why a
consulting Publications Specialist is essential to your success. Gone
are the days when the developer of product could assume the user would be
able to figure out how to use it, or be trained in its use by the field
engineering crew during installation.
Such practices as long-term field support periods are now too costly
for most situations, and no vendor of technical products can afford to take
the old attitude of, “If I have to explain it, you wouldn’t understand
anyway.” In
today’s market, the vendor must take advantage of the broadest possible
battery of user aids to help contain the cost of user familiarizations and to
increase user acceptance of new technology and new products. To make this happen in the most timely,
efficient, and economical way, you need a consulting Publications Specialist. |
3.
What does a Publications Specialist do?
|
Publications
Design and Development is a specialty, but actually requires a broad range of
skills. A consulting Publications Specialist
may perform any or all of these services for you… • Assessment • Analysis • User focus groups and interviews • Copyright and Trade Secret Management • Organization and Design • Specifications Development • Selection of Review teams • Project Management • Writing • Illustrating • Management of reviews • Negotiation for Production Values A
Publications Specialist first and foremost exercises clear thinking skills in
bringing concepts together, eliminating unnecessary thought and action, and
preparing all reports, plans, and specifications to a predetermined standard
(ISO 9000 or other as appropriate).
The specialist applies years of experience to determining the approach
that will give you the best results, and will design your publications to
ensure that all information is organized and presented in the most useful way
possible. |
4.
Why can’t my technical people just write the manual after they’re done
with the product?
|
Your
product developers are highly trained and valuable experts, but typically
don’t possess the skills and experience required to produce the top-quality publications
you want to present to the market. In
addition, the product development and publications development processes must
proceed in parallel to produce the best publications and to gain the
advantages of the Publications Specialist’s help in a timely manner. Consider these points… • Product and publications developers have
different skills and experience • A particular kind of insight and experience
is required to design and develop quality publications • Publications and Product Development must
proceed in parallel • You want the result to reflect the image of
quality your product deserves You don’t ask your
product engineers to prepare your tax return, do you? Similarly, the preparation of your
publications is a job for a specialist with the proper training and
experience. |
5.
Why not just hire a “tech writer?”
|
A
“technical writer” can do some things for you, but may not be able to put you
in the big picture where you want to be.
You should contact a professional Publications Specialist first. Think about this analogy: The
difference between a “technical writer” and a Publications Specialist is like
the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant. The bookkeeper knows
how to “plug and chug” with figures; how to follow a set procedure and record
the proper information accurately and in the right places. In addition, the bookkeeper can assemble figures
to prepare predetermined reports according to procedure. An accountant, on
the other hand, knows how to analyze the business and determine what
information is needed to allow management to evaluate the condition and
performance of the enterprise. The
accountant designs the information system and sets the procedures the
bookkeeper will follow. The accountant
also continually evaluates the performance of the system, makes
recommendations, and consults on planning and growth for the business. The accountant
obviously has to know how to do what the bookkeeper does, but the accountant
knows—and does—much more. And it is
the accountant that makes the client’s business more profitable and easier to
manage. In
exactly the same way, the Publications Specialist does the work of a “tech writer” but also much more. The Publications Specialist
consults with management and staff to analyze the business, the products, the
regulatory environment, and the market to create a plan and all procedures
for developing the publications you need. The Publications Specialist
unifies, simplifies, and ensures the quality of corporate publications,
technical publications, user publications, web materials, and market
materials to provide you the greatest economy and quality, to help you with
regulatory compliance, and to put you in the market where you want to be! The Publications Specialist
evaluates and supervises subject experts, writers, illustrators, editors, web
developers, and production services to ensure unity, economy, and timely
project completion. All of
these reasons add up to the reason you should call a professional
Publications Specialist first! More
information about the advantages of the Publications Specialist is available
here. The
term “technical writer” is so broad and inclusive as to be almost
meaningless. There is a specific job
definition and description, but it isn’t what most people mean when they use
the term. People looking for jobs as
“tech writers” vary so widely in skill levels and backgrounds that a
specialist is required to determine an applicant’s qualifications. Technical writers and illustrators, along
with graphic artists, layout, and production staff may all work on your
publications. To ensure the overall
efficiency and quality of results that you want for your product’s image, the
process must be specified and reviewed by a Publications Specialist. Technical
writers are not trained to do research, which is the central discipline of
the Publications Specialist’s work.
Skill and practice at research is of central importance to the
development of top-quality publications for your product. The publications specialist knows how to
judge source material and determine when information needs to be verified or
studied more deeply. In
addition, the Publications Specialist has studied and worked with every
aspect of the publications process. The
specialist studies the technology and the business basis of your product, and
also understands the disciplines of organizing and presenting information and
the processes of multimedia development, printing and other production
methods, and acquiring user feedback. |
About Document Control Services…
6.
Is your system an accounting program?
|
Our
proprietary document control method, Total
Enterprise Document Control, is designed to
interlock with financial accounting systems and to provide information used
in the financials to capture and journalize the financial effects of routine
events. All
other consulting services we offer, whether you decide to use all or part of Total Enterprise Document Control or not, similarly interlock with your financial
recording and reporting systems. The
end purpose is to provide the information required for meaningful analysis of
the variations between estimated and actual costs and schedules. We possess the
experience and the knowledge of accounting practices to provide these
benefits, and do it by working with your financial staff on their terms. The system is not an accounting system in
the financial sense, and our services are not financial accounting or
auditing services. Instead, we develop
methods of capturing information that may be significant to your accounting
processes. |
We have extensive experience in coordinating information
tracking and project management with financial accounting methods used by our
clients. We do not provide financial
accounting or auditing services.
8.
What are the advantages of using a consultant or
contractor instead of hiring an employee?
|
For a more extensive answer to this question, see the Working Philosophy
section. The main points are these… • A consultant helps
you contain costs by producing predetermined deliverables for a set fee. • A consultant costs
you the fee only, and no additional benefit costs or “bench time.” • A consultant, by
virtue of contract, has your best interest at heart and guarantees completion
of projects. • A consultant
seeking repeat business is more available in the future than an employee,
whose loyalty may change any day. • A consultant who
is part of an association will provide a qualified replacement if
unavailable. • A
consultant has every reason to produce the best possible work in the shortest
possible time, and has nothing to gain by
overcharging or padding a project. ..and there are many other reasons. For the best understanding, contact us
today! |
9.
How do you guarantee I’ll get my money’s worth?
|
A consultant works to a contract which incorporates a schedule
of deliverables and payments agreeable to all parties. This schedule will be designed so that each
step in the process provides management an opportunity to verify progress and
the quality of the consultant’s work.
All stakeholders in the consultant’s projects receive ongoing
verification of contract performance as the work proceeds. |
10. Can you help me take
advantage of the latest advances in information and learning technology?
|
There’s
nothing we can’t help you with. Here
are some examples of the areas in which we are applying the latest in
multimedia methods, along with the traditional disciplines of the craftsman
and adviser… • Self-paced learning • Advanced media/traditional media • Workshops • Training • Trade show and conference events As new
technology and new venues develop, we’ll be there, or we’ll help you develop
the newest thing first! |
11.
Are you a personnel or staffing firm?
|
No. We are all independent contractors. We sometimes make arrangements through a
fine staffing and professional placement firm, but we charge fees only for
the creation of tangible deliverables, and sometimes for project team
coordination. |
12.
What word processor do you use?
|
Managers
seeking help with publications often ask this question and others like
it. In fact, the question reflects an
outmoded way of thinking about how work gets done in the technology-based
office. All
software tools in a given category (for example, word processing, web
development, or graphics) have competitive functions and operate in much the
same manner. Just as a driver who can
drive a Chevrolet can also drive a Ford, a writer who can use any given word
processor or graphics processor can also use most others with equal
efficiency. So the
question is not, “Can you drive a Chevrolet or a Ford?” The right question is, “Do you know where
you’re going, and can you keep it in the road?” What
this question translates into in terms of the workplace today for a
professional like a publications specialist, administrative specialist, writer,
or illustrator, is the person’s skills at logical and critical thinking,
research, and the organization and presentation of information. These are the skills one should ask about
if one is seeking to hire someone in one of these areas. Also. for those
managers who want to take advantage of the benefits of outsourcing, keep in
mind that under the IRS definition of an independent consultant or
contractor, the independent is responsible for selecting and providing the
tools to be used where practical, and the question of which tools the
independent will use is, as a matter of law, irrelevant to the discussion of
the work to be done. |
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Copyright © 2002, by
David Cook. All rights reserved.