Time Management in Time Management in Technical WritingTechnical Writing

ByBy

Anupama ManjeshwarAnupama Manjeshwar

ByBy

Anupama ManjeshwarAnupama Manjeshwar

IntroductionIntroduction

““Time is life. It is irreversible and Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste time is to waste your irreplaceable. To waste time is to waste your life, but to master time is to master your life life, but to master time is to master your life and make the most of it.”and make the most of it.”

-Alan Lakein-Alan Lakein

Documentation Life CycleDocumentation Life Cycle

DocumentationDocumentationPlanPlan

OutlineOutline

1st Draft (Alpha)1st Draft (Alpha)

2nd Draft (Beta)2nd Draft (Beta)

Final DraftFinal Draft

ProductionProduction

ChangesChanges

UpdatesUpdates

RewriteRewrite

Estimate/BidEstimate/Bid Gather informationGather information

Audience profileAudience profileProduct profileProduct profileScheduleScheduleCost estimateCost estimate

Review/TestingReview/Testing

ProofingProofingIndexIndexFront/Back MatterFront/Back Matter

Review/TestingReview/Testing

Tech SupportTech Support

Review/TestingReview/Testing

Time Management ToolsTime Management Tools

• Action PlansAction Plans• Brief list of tasks to achieve an objectiveBrief list of tasks to achieve an objective

• Time EstimatesTime Estimates• Duration of time for a projectDuration of time for a project

• Project PlannersProject Planners• To-Do listsTo-Do lists

• Activity LogActivity Log• Monitors the way in which you spend timeMonitors the way in which you spend time

Time Management Time Management MethodologiesMethodologies

• Reading Skills: Reading Skills: Speed Reading, Effective Speed Reading, Effective ReadingReading

• Writing Skills: Writing Skills: Clear and focused writing skillsClear and focused writing skills

• Listening and Communication SkillsListening and Communication Skills

• Waiting TimeWaiting Time

• Delay Time: Delay Time: Positive and Negative DelayPositive and Negative Delay

• MeetingsMeetings

• DelegationDelegation

Time Management PrinciplesTime Management Principles

• Pareto Principle -The 80/20 Rule (Planning Phase)(Planning Phase)

• Quadrant II Time Management Theory (Planning and Implementation Phase)(Planning and Implementation Phase)

• PERT and Critical Path Analysis (Planning)(Planning)

• Quantum Leap Approach (Planning)(Planning)

• Effectiveness Vs. Efficiency Theory (Planning (Planning and Implementation)and Implementation)

Pareto Principle: 80/20 RulePareto Principle: 80/20 Rule

““80% of your results are achieved by 20% of the 80% of your results are achieved by 20% of the things you do”things you do”

• Concentrate on results, not on being busy

• Identify activities, prioritize time for them

• Apply to Planning phase

Quadrant II Time ManagementQuadrant II Time Management

““Focus on important but not urgent activities”Focus on important but not urgent activities”

• Spend 65-80% of the time in Quadrant II

• 15% in Quadrant III

• Apply to complete documentation cycle

Quadrant II Time Management …Quadrant II Time Management …cont.cont.

II•CrisisCrisis•Pressing problemsPressing problems•Deadline driven projectsDeadline driven projects•MeetingsMeetings•PresentationsPresentations•Project reportsProject reports

II (60-85%)II (60-85%)•ResearchResearch•EstimatesEstimates•PlanningPlanning•Establishing rapportEstablishing rapport•EmpowermentEmpowerment•Status reportsStatus reports

IVIV•Trivia, busyworkTrivia, busywork•Phone callsPhone calls•Time wastersTime wasters•EscapeEscape activities activities•Irrelevant e-mailsIrrelevant e-mails•Unnecessary meetingsUnnecessary meetings

III (15%)III (15%)•Interruptions and Interruptions and

phone calls phone calls•Some e-mails, Some e-mails,

reportsreports•Some meetingsSome meetings•Immediate Immediate

pressingpressing matters matters

URGENTURGENT NOT NOT URGENTURGENT

NO

T IM

PO

RTA

NT

IM

PO

RTA

NT

NO

T IM

PO

RTA

NT

IM

PO

RTA

NT

Quantum Leap ApproachQuantum Leap Approach

• Goal SettingGoal Setting

““Aims at forcing intense activity. Set a goal that will need Aims at forcing intense activity. Set a goal that will need a quantum leap in activity to achieve it.”a quantum leap in activity to achieve it.”

• Used effectively in Dr. Stephen Covey’s Quadrant II theory

• Apply to Planning phase

• Goals that stretchstretch but not breakbreak you

Critical Path Analysis and PERTCritical Path Analysis and PERT

• Time AssessmentTime Assessment– Calculate the minimum time required

to complete the project (the Critical Path)

– Identify dependent tasks

– Identify independent tasks (tackled simultaneously with dependent tasks)

Documentation Life CycleDocumentation Life Cycle

DocumentationDocumentationPlanPlan

OutlineOutline

1st Draft (Alpha)1st Draft (Alpha)

2nd Draft (Beta)2nd Draft (Beta)

Final DraftFinal Draft

ProductionProduction

ChangesChanges

UpdatesUpdates

RewriteRewrite

Estimate/BidEstimate/Bid Gather informationGather information

Audience profileAudience profileProduct profileProduct profileScheduleScheduleCost estimateCost estimate

Review/TestingReview/Testing

ProofingProofingIndexIndexFront/Back MatterFront/Back Matter

Review/TestingReview/Testing

Tech SupportTech Support

Review/TestingReview/Testing

Critical Path Analysis and PERT Critical Path Analysis and PERT ……cont.cont.

WeekWeek

22 33 554411 66 77 88 99 1010 1111 1212 1313

1.1. Estimate/BidEstimate/Bid 9. 9. Second Draft Second Draft

2.2. Gathering InformationGathering Information 10.10. Review of Second DraftReview of Second Draft

3.3. Documentation PlanDocumentation Plan 11.11. Final DraftFinal Draft

4.4. Audience Profile, Product Profile, Schedule, Cost Audience Profile, Product Profile, Schedule, Cost 12.12. Proofing, Index, Front/Back Matter Proofing, Index, Front/Back Matter 5.5. OutlineOutline 13.13. ProductionProduction

6.6. Review of Outline Review of Outline 14.14. Changes/Updates from Tech SupportChanges/Updates from Tech Support

7.7. First Draft First Draft 15.15. Rewrites Rewrites

8.8. Review of First DraftReview of First Draft

11(1)

33(1)

22(1.5)

44

(1)

55(1)

66(1)

77(2)

88(1)

99(1)

1010(1)

1111(1)

1212(2)

1313(1)

1414(1)

1515(1)

1313(1)

(1) (1) No. of weeks to achieve taskNo. of weeks to achieve task

Critical Path ActionCritical Path Action Non-Critical Path ActionNon-Critical Path Action

Effectiveness And EfficiencyEffectiveness And Efficiency

““Doing the right thing is more important than doing Doing the right thing is more important than doing things rightthings right ””

• Effectiveness - identify what is the right Effectiveness - identify what is the right thing to dothing to do

• EEfficiency - do it rightfficiency - do it right

• Apply to Planning and Implementation Apply to Planning and Implementation phasephase

SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis

• Build Build SStrengthstrengths– Excellent Writing and Communication SkillsExcellent Writing and Communication Skills

– Good Planning SkillsGood Planning Skills

– Good Editing SkillsGood Editing Skills

– Good Interpersonal SkillsGood Interpersonal Skills

– Attention to DetailAttention to Detail

– Clear ThinkingClear Thinking

– Good Computer Tool SkillsGood Computer Tool Skills

– Good LearnerGood Learner

SWOT Analysis …SWOT Analysis …cont.cont.

• Overcome Overcome WWeaknesseseaknesses– No academic technical writing coursesNo academic technical writing courses

• Recognize and Seize Recognize and Seize OOpportunitiespportunities– In a corporate environment, technical In a corporate environment, technical

documentation is considered a part of the documentation is considered a part of the software development processsoftware development process

• Minimize Minimize TThreatshreats– Labeled as a “support activity”Labeled as a “support activity”

– Dependent on engineers for document Dependent on engineers for document information and validityinformation and validity

Time Management TipsTime Management Tips

• Organize yourselfOrganize yourself

• Prepare for the next dayPrepare for the next day

• Use productivity toolsUse productivity tools

• Learn to say ‘NO’Learn to say ‘NO’

• Reward yourselfReward yourself

““If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative.”healthier, and a great deal more creative.”

ConclusionConclusion

Time Management is a skill that Time Management is a skill that may appear intangible, but when may appear intangible, but when practiced diligently can yield highly practiced diligently can yield highly tangible results in terms of lower tangible results in terms of lower project life cycles and project costs.project life cycles and project costs.