The Epic Showdown: When the Project Manager Met the Technical Author

In project management and technical documentation, roles and responsibilities are usually well-defined. However, occasionally, a Project Manager (PM) comes with just enough knowledge to cause chaos. This is the story of one such PM and a beleaguered Technical Author (TA). Sit back and enjoy the ride as we explore this epic showdown between "process" and "strategy."

Scene: The War Room

Characters:

• PM: A contract Project Manager with an inflated sense of understanding.
• TA: A seasoned Technical Author with a deep knowledge of documentation.

PM: Holds up a thick document. "This, right here, is our new process document. It outlines everything step-by-step."

TA: Glances at the document and raises an eyebrow. "That's our strategy document. It outlines our long-term goals and overall plan, not the step-by-step execution."

PM: Smugly "I've been in this business long enough to know a process when I see one. You, my friend, don't know your job."

TA: Eyebrows twitching. "Really? Let's break this down, shall we?"

The Definitions Debate

TA: "A process document provides specific steps to achieve a task. It's like a recipe. A strategy document, on the other hand, is like a menu plan for the week. It tells you what you're aiming to cook, but not exactly how to cook each dish."

PM: Waving the document "This is clearly telling us what to do. So, it's a process."

TA: Sighs sincerely. "No, it's telling us what we want to achieve and the direction we need to go. There's a difference."

The Battle of Examples

PM: "Look at this section: 'Implementing Agile Practices.' It's telling us what to do. Therefore, it's a process."

TA: Smirking "It says we aim to 'integrate Agile methodologies to improve project adaptability.' That's a strategic goal, not a step-by-step guide on how to implement Agile."

The Boiling Point

PM: Frustrated "I know what I'm talking about. This is a process document!"

TA: Exploding "Oh, really? Do you also call a car manual a cookbook because it tells you how to maintain a car? Let me explain it in small words for you: strategy equals plan, process equals steps. Got it?"

PM: Red-faced, "You don't know your job. I'm the Project Manager, and I say this is a process!"

TA: Fuming, "I have written more documents than you've had hot dinners. I think I know the difference between a process and a strategy!"

The Resolution (or Lack Thereof)

Enter the Office Manager, who has heard the commotion.

Office Manager: "What's going on here?"

PM: "Just a minor disagreement. I was explaining to our TA that this is a process document."

TA: Glaring "And I was explaining that it's a strategy document."

Office Manager: Calmly "Let's see the document... Ah, this outlines our goals and the direction we're heading. This is definitely a strategy. We'll need to create separate process documents for the steps."

TA: Vindicated "Thank you!"

PM: Muttering, "Fine, but it still has processes in it..."

TA: Rolls eyes. "That's like saying a cookbook has kitchen processes in it. Doesn't make it a process document!"

Epilogue:

Ultimately, the PM learned a valuable lesson: leave documentation to the experts. The TA got a well-deserved pat and a reputation for staying firm regarding proper documentation terms. And the office? It had a new tale about the day the PM and the TA went toe-to-toe in the Great Documentation Debate.