Reply to: anything more boring than writing PIDs?

[BA to the Stars]

I did a gig at OS for a few weeks a couple of years back. Nice enough people, however they were down-sizing and had a lot of space and not as many staff to fill out. They were looking to move a couple of miles down the road, not sure if that has taken off.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

You are a senior civil servent and I claim my £5 index linked pension

I wish (for the pension at least). My only offence in that direction was a summer job with the Ordnance Survey once, other than than I've never been a civil servant, thank goodness.

[BA to the Stars]

Grammar, distribution (sorry, I can't help it)

You are a senior civil servent and I claim my £5 index linked pension

[Peoplesoft bloke]

There is nothing wrong with pointing out where spelling or grammer is wrong. In my experience however, too much time is spent concentrating on this instead of what the content actually states.

The main point is to understand and agree to the content. As a professional I would expect to read the document myself prior to distrubtion, ensuring that the format, grammer and spelling was correct, not least that if it isn't it can look unprofessional then your audience / clients may start to question the quality of the contents.

Grammar, distribution (sorry, I can't help it)

[BA to the Stars]

Actually - I totally agree with that. If asked what I do for a living I sometimes reply "I write documents no-one will ever read". That doesn't mean that it's big and clever to fill them up with poor spelling and grammar though.

There is nothing wrong with pointing out where spelling or grammer is wrong. In my experience however, too much time is spent concentrating on this instead of what the content actually states.

The main point is to understand and agree to the content. As a professional I would expect to read the document myself prior to distrubtion, ensuring that the format, grammer and spelling was correct, not least that if it isn't it can look unprofessional then your audience / clients may start to question the quality of the contents.

[scooby]

first one done.

now for the second... (altho it is 90% complete with a still unclear direction and approach...)

[Peoplesoft bloke]

NO, I don't, I just think we spend too much time writing officious documents and not enough time testing.

Actually - I totally agree with that. If asked what I do for a living I sometimes reply "I write documents no-one will ever read". That doesn't mean that it's big and clever to fill them up with poor spelling and grammar though.

[Mich the Tester]

Why is it such a crime to be able to spell or express things clearly? I hope you don't apply the same logic to testing!

NO, I don't, I just think we spend too much time writing officious documents and not enough time testing.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Some people seem to see the request to review a document as an opportunity to show off how bleeding clever they are and thereby pretend to be doing something of use.

Why is it such a crime to be able to spell or express things clearly? I hope you don't apply the same logic to testing!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Comments appear true for most public sector documents - content is nothing, spelling and grammer is everything

You know, really, don't you. Oh, you don't care - suit yourself.

[Mich the Tester]

What is a PID?

Project Initiation Document. (oh tulip I’ve given the game away; yep I did a Prince 2 course several years ago)

[Bagpuss]

What is a PID?

[zathras]

I have two PID to write by next week. Is there anything worse???

At least I'm working from home...

Writing the spec

[Mich the Tester]

Some people seem to see the request to review a document as an opportunity to show off how bleeding clever they are and thereby pretend to be doing something of use.

[BA to the Stars]

Comments appear true for most public sector documents - content is nothing, spelling and grammer is everything