Through my years as a technical writer, I have heard many different, often incorrect, statements of what my role should be, and what type of work I should do. And I have met many frustrated writers whose work is hindered by people they interact with who just don't "get it". Many of us are very good at making things simple for our users, but less so at convincing colleagues or managers to give us what we need to deliver first class work.
In this presentation, I will discuss what people in general think a technical writer's role should be, and how that affects our work. I will also talk about some mistakes I have made and how I managed to change colleague's or managers' perception and get better work conditions.
I will suggest how you can make your own small surveys and use the findings to improve your own work conditions and hopefully deliver better work.
