Book/Web Site Reviews
Editor's Note: Several IEEE members have written books of interest to PCS members. If you would like to have it reviewed by a newsletter volunteer, please contact Kit Brown at pcsnews.editor AT ieee DOT org.
A Readable Documentation Management Book!
By Jack Deland
Hamilton, Richard. (2008) Managing Writers: A Real World Guide to Managing Technical Documentation. XML Press. 280 pgs. ISBN-13: 978-0982219102.
Dick Hamilton's Managing Writers is, as its subtitle says, A Real World Guide to Managing Technical Documentation. Unlike a PhD-level study of trends and statistics with iron-clad templates, this book tells it like it really is in the netherworld of doc management, where one never has enough budget, time, or power.
Hamilton sprinkles a few war stories throughout the text, but otherwise, this is a jam-packed no-nonsense guide for managers at all levels (and indeed even in other professions), and those who aspire to be doc managers. The field manual-sized paperback is just right for quick reference or solace on one of those bad days.
You'll find chapters on everything from hiring and firing to must-have project management skills, tracking, scheduling, presenting a business case, getting the most out of vendors, putting a content management system to best use, translation and localization, XML, DITA and DocBook, Web 2.0 and more, all in concise, good-hearted but never too breezy language that always gets to the heart of the matter. Instead of "take it or leave it" prescriptives, the author gives open-ended recommendations backed up by solid, substantive rhetoric.
This book deserves an A- overall; about the only negative is an annoying eruption of typos here and there that undercut the message somewhat. With any luck, they should be caught promptly in succeeding editions. Managing Writers is sure to be a favorite among those seeking enlightenment in the rapidly morphing world of tech pubs. A must-have at less than $25.
****************
Jack DeLand is a practicing IA and lone writer with a software company in Southfield, Michigan. He is best known for a series of lectures, training and books on developing Windows Help systems, and now has interests in user experience and typography/graphic layout. His website is www.jackdeland.com