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Transcript of Project Management for Editors & Publishers Adapted from The Longman Guide to Technical Editing,...
Project Management for Editors & PublishersAdapted from The Longman Guide to Technical Editing, Chapter 21
(published originally in 2006)
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical EditingFall 2015 • Week 10 • USF Sarasota-Manateehttp://www.todroberts.com/USF/4212_welcome.htmLength of this lecture audio (12 slides): 00:xx:xx
Note the deadlines for these important submissions:Nov. 2, 6 p.m., Assignment 4 outline (include Week 9 and 10 lecture audio
codes)Nov. 30, 6 p.m., Assignment 4 itself (include Week 11 and 12 lecture audio
codes)
© 2015 by T. E. Roberts, Instructor
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 2 of 12
Week 10 Agenda
• Managing the Document Development Process• Life-Cycle Model• Planning & Content Specifications• Estimating Time and Developing Budgets• Document Scheduling and Tracking• Evaluation• Setting Policy• The Alternative Perspective
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 3 of 12
Managing the Process
• Balancing three categories of variables• Time• Staff & budget resources• Scope/quality
• Setting and meeting expectations• Under pressure, compromises are inevitable• To succeed, editors/managers must be ...
• Flexible / adaptable• Organized and effective in managing others• Conscientious• Able to balance productivity and quality
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 4 of 12
Life-Cycle Model of Development
• Based on software development model• Information planning & content specification (What’s the message?)
• Implementation (Who does what when?)
• Production (Are the planes running on time)
• Evaluation (Did we succeed or fail?)
• Publishing is a multi-step process that benefits from the care and thought we apply to every results-driven activity
• These criteria apply to both printed and electronic media
• Murphy’s Law applies even if your name isn’t Murphy!
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 5 of 12
Planning & Content Specifications
• Start with the big picture• Consider who is paying for what• Define the expectations carefully
• Lead the project team so well that it can manage without you• Take deadlines seriously• Make process open and transparent (no secret
agendas or sneaky alliances)• Set a professional example
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 6 of 12
Specifications (continued)
Source: Van Buren, Robert and Buehler, Mary Fran. The Levels of Edit. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA, January, 1980
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 7 of 12
The Tireless Copy-Editor
Choices for on-screen tracking of editorialchanges in MS Word are shown here
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 8 of 12
Estimating Time & Budgets:Who Does What?
• Basic copyediting• Comprehensive editing• Coordination, management• Production• Desktop publishing• Web design and composition
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 9 of 12
Who Does What? (continued)
• Indexing• Product testing• Training of clients, co-workers• Record keeping• Sampling• Setting priorities
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 10 of 12
Document Scheduling & Tracking
• Scheduling due dates• Scheduling reviews• Tracking the document through development and
production• Version control• Configuration management software• Using software to identify versions• File naming conventions
• Gantt chart can help manage the process
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 11 of 12
Gantt Chart
Source: http://www.cps.co.uk/epm/Pages/EPMScreenshots.aspx
Named for engineer and consultant Henry Gantt (1861-1919), who designed this project management tool around 1910-1915 and first applied it to shipping operations during World War I.
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 12 of 12
Evaluation
• Does the process meet expectations of users?
• Where did the process break down? Where did it work well?
• How can we improve in the future?• What results can we highlight in our
marketing and promotion efforts for new business?
PROJECTCOMPLETION
PROJECTSTART-UP
ENC 4212, Professional & Technical Editing - Fall 2015 - Week 10 - Slide 13 of 12
Setting Policy
• Basic principles to guide every business• Honest dealing with clients and co-workers (Golden Rule)• Emphasis on continuous improvement• True professionalism in knowing and applying high standards
• Response to changing technology and marketplace• Benefits• Drawbacks• Trends
• Sound fiscal management (don’t buy what you can’t afford!)• Respect for priorities
• People who buy the work• People who create the work• People who manage the work• People who sell the work