Business+Communications


 * Chapter 22: Business Communications**

22.1 Introduction 22.2 Non-Editing Role in a Business Environment 22.2.1 Virtual User 22.2.2 Context/Voice Editor 22.2.3 Project Manager 22.2.4 Publisher 22.3 Professional Relationships in the Workplace 22.3.1 Communication with Technical Writers 22.3.2 Communication with Other Project Members 22.3.3 Communication with Supervisors 22.3.4 Communication with Clients 22.4 Tips on Effective Workplace Communication 22.4.1 Share the Goals 22.4.2 Have Mutual Respect 22.4.3 Use a Non-Intrusive Communication Method 22.4.4 Have Close and Frequent Contact 22.4.5 Clarify Expectations 22.4.6 Participate Early 22.4.7 Do not Blame Others 22.5 Elements of Project Management 22.5.1 Planning Stage 22.5.2 Specification Stage 22.5.3 Implementation Stage 22.5.4 Publication Stage 22.5.5 Evaluation Stage

22.1 INTRODUCTION

Being the “grammar police” is not the only role that editors must assume in the 21st century. In today’s complicated and fast-moving workplace, every worker must take multiple roles—sometimes outside their professional expertise—and work together with other team members to accomplish a project; editors are no exception. Paul A. Argenti, Professor of Corporate Communication at Dartmouth College, highlights the importance of business (corporate) communications in //The Power of Corporate Communication// as follows:

Corporate communication has a direct impact on your work, no matter where you're located on the organizational chart. Every manager needs to understand corporate communication, not just those officially in charge of public relations or communications. Think for a moment about the ways that corporate communication may affect your work life. Most obviously, as an employee, your company's internal communications influence your attitude toward your workplace: Do you work in an atmosphere of trust or anxiety? Are you confident that the messages you hear about your organization are timely and honest? Are there forums for voicing your concerns and offering your perspective?

This chapter explores what today’s editors have to consider to effectively perform their professional roles in a collaborative business environment. The following sections discuss four major elements in a professional editor’s work life: roles, relationships, collaborations, and project management.
 * What roles an editor needs to assume in a business environment
 * What types of professional relationships exist in an editor's business environment
 * How an editor can effectively communicate with coworkers and clients
 * How an editor can effectively manage projects

22.2 NON-EDITING ROLE IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Editors are not confined to providing expertise in documentation and language. They must serve multiple non-editing roles, using their unique position as a cross-team professional and taking advantage of their birds-eye view of the overall project. Here is a list of non-editing roles that editors frequently need to assume.

For details on the “traditional” roles—editing and proofreading—refer to Chapter 1. Editor in the 21st Century.


 * 22.2.1 Virtual User**

Editors take the user’s point of view and edit the document as users will see it. Because the writers may lose perspective by knowing the subject too well, editors are required to maintain objectivity, and they frequently conduct informal usability tests. The tests are focused on the readability and usability of the document, which define whether readers can find and understand what they need to know in order to use the product.

Editors (and writers) then provide feedback to the developers on how to improve the product before it becomes finalized. Therefore, it is crucial that editors and writers start working on a project early on; see Section 22.4.6. Participate Early for more details.


 * 22.2.2 Context/Voice Editor**

While writers become caught up in the details, editors keep perspective of the big picture and make sure the document keeps a single voice throughout a project. Maintaining consistency becomes a crucial task when editing a document created by multiple writers. Editors also consider the voice of the writing to be formal (printed) or less formal (online), according to the medium of publication.


 * 22.2.3 Project Manager**

Editors are responsible not just for the effectiveness of language, but also for coordinating the efforts of other team members. Because editors frequently work with multiple team members, they are in ideal positions to serve as the “bond” that coordinates works among team members. In the same context, editors also communicate the project leader’s expectations to team members and act as an unofficially delegated project manager.


 * 22.2.4 Publisher**

Editors provide a link between the writing and the publishing of a document by making sure that the document is properly laid out and prepared according to the printing guidelines. Editors already have great eyes for formatting documents, and they apply that same skill set to the preparation of manuscripts for printing companies (printed materials) or the IT/Marketing department (electronic materials).

Back to Top

22.3 PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE

When working on a particular project, editors frequently interact with the following professionals, sometimes even on a daily basis. In some cases, editors also assume their roles (and vice versa).
 * Technical writers
 * Non-writer team members (such as graphic artists and subject matter experts)
 * Supervisors
 * Clients

This section describes what editors should be aware of in order to communicate effectively with other professionals in the business environment.


 * 22.3.1 Communication with Technical Writers**

The most important professional relationship for editors is the one they share with technical writers. In general, writers have more subject matter knowledge, and editors have more language and publication knowledge. If the two parties complement each other, the collaboration will yield far greater results than the sum of their individual contributions. But editors must always be aware of one issue: taking care of the writer’s ego.

Here is a research result showing what editorial actions writers like and dislike, collected by Ernest Mazzatenta, former president of the Society of Technical Communication.


 * Like:**
 * Logically restructures the document
 * Clarifies ideas
 * Catches misspellings
 * Improves readability
 * Swiftly returns the result
 * Edits without malice
 * Shows patience


 * Dislike:**
 * Asks for rewriting without providing direction
 * Incorporates the editor’s style
 * Suggests excessive qualifiers
 * Does not change word usages
 * Replaces words with synonyms
 * Requires too many iterations
 * Makes inconsistent comments

As we see, more than half of the items have to do with the writer’s or editor’s ego. Writers often invest a great amount of time and effort into their work.

Editors must understand and respect the writers' emotional investment and should not make editorial suggestions merely because of the difference in preferences or styles. For more information, refer to Chapter 1.3 Working with Writers.

Editors must establish methods of submitting non-interruptive queries and suggestions, and remain vigilant against suggesting changes that simply align the writer's style to the editor's. Some non-intrusive query techniques are introduced in Section 22.4. Tips on Effective Workplace Communication.


 * 22.3.2 Communication with Other Project Members**

Unlike writers, who are usually assigned to a particular project, editors usually work directly with multiple non-writing team members simultaneously for different products or projects. Therefore, editors are in an ideal position to communicate the roles of and requirements from writers and editors to non-writer team members. Of all these requirements, estimating the project’s timetable is particularly important, because non-writers tend to underestimate the time required for writing and editing (sometimes even writers, themselves, do).


 * 22.3.3 Communication with Supervisors**

A major task of supervisors is to clarify expectations in order to effectively manage projects. Editors are usually on the receiving end of the expectations, but as subject matter experts on documentation, they also need to clarify and confirm the writing expectations with their supervisors. It is important that the editor, writer, and the supervisor can all agree on project goals from the start. Also, because of the “birds-eye view” that the editors acquire, they might be in the best position to make recommendations about the document specifications to the project manager. Therefore, editors frequently end up writing documentation proposals.


 * 22.3.4 Communication with Clients**

Clients establish the expectations and limits of the job. If the editor is a contractor, the clients serve as supervisors, too. Editors need to communicate with the clients about the scope of the projects and the responsibilities clients themselves may have as team members. The clients need to know the total budget estimate; therefore, editors need to clarify important project parameters, including cost and time.

Back to Top

22.4 TIPS ON EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

Well-executed technical communication for any project is comprised of the following three elements:
 * Good writing and editing
 * Good project management
 * Collaborative (ego-less) communications

This section describes the third point: collaborating and communicating with other professionals.
 * For how to improve writing and editing skills, refer to other chapters in this editing guide.
 * For how to effectively manage projects, refer to Section 22.5. ELEMENTS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

Diligently executing one’s task according to the job description does not take a professional far in today’s workplace. Editors must take extra care because (1) their work is often tucked in at the later stages of the project, thus leaving little time for substantial influence and (2) their work involves providing feedback and suggestions, which is always a sensitive task to execute. Here are some tips for editors to successfully communicate with writers and other team members.


 * 22.4.1 Share the Goals**

Editors and team members, especially writers, need to keep the same goals in mind. This way, suggestions or corrections will be taken more as a way to improve the project and less as a personal attack. Also, sharing the goals fully, especially early in the project, will help prevent surprising writers with sudden changes.


 * 22.4.2 Have Mutual Respect**

Establishing mutual respect is one of the most important aspects of workplace communication. The best way to do so is through respectful actions. Here are practical techniques:
 * Avoid using communication tools that might be provocative (see the following paragraph).
 * Do not behave like an expert correcting an incompetent person.
 * Don’t behave like a teacher unless as a mentor to the writer
 * Do not jeopardize the project for a trivial mistake, such as a punctuation error, or a choice that is valid despite being different from the editorial suggestion.
 * Respect different cultures and expectations from international writers. For more information about editing for an international audience, see Chapter 1.6. Editing For International Audiences.


 * 22.4.3 Use a Non-Intrusive Communication Method**

Editors need to take cautionary steps to avoid emotionally confronting or frequently interrupting a writer. Making sure that the communication method does not cause any negative side effects is an important skill editors need to possess.
 * **Use electronic commenting:** By writing questions and suggestions right in the document, by using tools such as Word's Track Changes, editors can avoid interrupting the writer frequently. In addition, by placing the comments or queries right where the questions arise, editors and writers do not have to hunt for a referred-to word or topic.
 * **Use email:** Email allows the editor to communicate with the writer asynchronously and without interrupting. Email is less formal than a letter, allowing more spontaneous and less intimidating communication.
 * **Use file-sharing:** Having an effective sharing system such as an FTP site or Google Docs reduces administrative time and lets the editor and writer spend time on more important tasks.
 * **Use non-red colored pen/markup:** Using red color makes the writer feel that the editor is grading her draft like a teacher, instead of editing. Using purple or blue reduces negative reactions.


 * 22.4.4 Have Close and Frequent Contact**

Staying in close contact with the writer allows the editor to do her job with confidence that the two are continuing to understand each other clearly; colloquially, they are “staying on the same page,” not distorting the meaning of the document. Here are the three rules of status reporting, applicable to both documentation and collaboration:
 * 1) Tell others what will be done.
 * 2) Tell others what is going on.
 * 3) Tell others what is done.

This encourages frequent communication and updates, helping editors avoid misunderstandings and inform team members quickly of errors or changes.


 * 22.4.5 Clarify Expectations**

Editors should agree in advance with writers on the audience, purpose, and format. Surprising writers with unexpected changes or new policies will disrupt the relationship between editors and writers. Templates and style guides save both parties time by providing a framework and structural elements, reducing the amount of late corrections.


 * 22.4.6 Participate Early**

By participating early on the project, editors (especially editors with responsibility for shaping content as well as readability), writers, and project members all can agree on major project issues from the beginning, or they can take the opportunity to identify and resolve differences early on. Editors should not be introduced into the project at later stages, as their late introduction results in more time spent correcting unnecessary mistakes. If editors are allowed to provide input early on, there will be fewer surprises for both editors and writers.

Also, early participation is crucial when editors (and writers) bring feedback to the product, with suggestions for modifications as a result of informal usability testing. See Section 22.2.1 Virtual User.


 * 22.4.7 Do not Blame Others**

Often another editor or a proofreader will spot an editor’s mistake, perhaps misunderstanding or misinterpreting information or not catching errors. Editors should always be gracious toward the person who points out the imperfections in her editing. The editor who becomes defensive and tries to blame others will encourage her writers to respond in the same way when they are edited.

Back to Top

22.5 ELEMENTS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Project management is the process of planning, scheduling, and communicating expectations, as well as tracking progress in order to achieve a finished product on time and within budget. In other words, project management is about achieving goals (scope) within certain time frames using available resources.

The life-cycle model of publishing documents, developed by JoAnn Hackos, is based on the computer software development process. The model is comprised of the following five phases and covers all aspects of a project from inception to conclusion:
 * 1) Starting the project (referred as the Planning stage)
 * 2) Establishing the specifics (referred as the Specification stage)
 * 3) Keeping the project running (referred as the Implementation stage)
 * 4) Managing the production phase (referred as the Publication stage)
 * 5) Ending the project (referred as the Evaluation stage)

The following sections describe how each phase can be implemented in real-life scenarios.


 * 22.5.1 Planning Stage**


 * Major tasks: defining the scope and schedule, assembling a team**

Project planning is about clarifying expectations. During planning, the project manager should define the following elements.
 * Project scope and priorities (Scope)
 * Project schedule and deadlines (Schedule)
 * Project team and assignments (Resources)

Each of the three elements: scope, schedule, and resources, cannot be altered without affecting the other two. The crucial part of planning is to keep the optimum balance among them in order to maximize the quality of the document.

Editors are particularly vulnerable to inadequate scheduling or delays because the bulk of their work often comes at the end of the development cycle.


 * 22.5.2 Specification Stage**


 * Major tasks: setting priorities, deadlines, and assignments**

Good estimates require a clear sense of expectations. People, including editors, underestimate the time required for writing and editing when they estimate intuitively.

Setting priorities is important for finishing the project on time. Editors and writers sometimes have to let go of documents, knowing they have not perfected them, so that they will not sacrifice more important tasks.

After the team has been assembled, tasks must be assigned carefully so that everyone knows what the specifications are, who is responsible for what components, and when the milestones will occur. The editor might be in the best position to write document specifications, particularly if he has been involved in the project from the beginning and in contact with multiple members and usability testing.


 * 22.5.3 Implementation Stage**


 * Major tasks: researching, writing, revising, designing, editing, testing**

Editors should start writing/editing when the project begins so that they can:
 * Allow substantial changes without disrupting the project
 * Share the goal with other members easily
 * Allow time to make up for the delays of other members
 * Effectively write a documentation proposal, sometimes also encompassing usability and audience analysis

To effectively manage projects, writers and editors may use the following resources.
 * Content management systems to organize and manage electronic documents
 * Storyboards to outline the project
 * Scripts for describing the contents


 * 22.5.4 Publication Stage**


 * Major tasks: proofreading, printing, uploading, maintenance**

When multiple people have access to the same electronic files (as in most cases), version control becomes especially important. Writers and editors should always work on the most recent version to avoid confusion.

Three strategies are valuable in version control:
 * Using configuration software
 * Using the “save version” feature of word processing software
 * Establishing a naming convention for versions


 * 22.5.5 Evaluation Stage**


 * Major tasks: reviewing, feedback, incorporating suggestions**

Sending the completed documentation to printing companies or the Marketing or IT department is not the end of the project. Editors and writers should use the skills and knowledge they have acquired during the project to prepare for their next project.

Editors can also collect feedback not only from other team members, but also from the clients and even end users about how effectively the project has been managed, as well as how their efforts are reflected in the quality of the documentation and customer satisfaction.

Back to Top

=WORKS CITED=

Argenti, Paul, and Janis Forman. //__The Power of Corporate Communication: Crafting the Voice and Image of Your Business.__// New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. Print.

Rude, Carolyn D. //__Technical Editing__//. 4th ed. New York: Pearson, 2006. Print.

//__The Chicago Manual of Style__.// 15th ed. Chicago: The UP of Chicago, 2007. The Chicago Manual of Style. Web. 12 Apr. 2008 <[|http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/>.]