Introduction
At present the sun is shining in Melbourne, but that won't last long. From our vantage point atop the Block Arcade our work diversions include watching the winter rain sweeping down Collins Street, or catching the eye of the pasty-faced occupant of the office across the street. We hope it's not so glum with you. But not to worry if it is - the Red Pony Express rides to the rescue with a happy diversion.
In this issue, Peter outlines a methodical strategy for organising the production of a major document and I get irritated by a common phrase. Also, some spelling advice that might settle some arguments. Or start some.
Happy reading,
Andrew
Large document, looming deadline: a survival guide
Peter Riches
Ever been charged with the responsibility of producing a large, business-critical document within a seemingly impossible deadline? Perhaps it was a tender or a client proposal, a project brief or even the annual report?
When faced with a daunting task such as this, it can be tempting to run for the hills, or at least bring forward your annual leave. Here’s a few survival tips to help you deliver.
1. Establish realistic timelines
If it’s a large document with multiple authors, your first challenge will be getting the information you need. If possible, arrange an initial meeting with all the contributors to establish a realistic project timeline.
Factor in time for revisions (see point 4) and other commitments the authors may have. Also allow some extra time to cover any contingencies (e.g. illness, printing delays, etc.). Note the delivery dates and who is responsible in Microsoft Project or a spreadsheet, and get everyone’s agreement before you begin.
2. Use a document template
If you’re using Microsoft Office, it’s relatively easy to create a Word document template containing all required styles and formatting (e.g. body text, headings, lists, tables, etc.). Other common word processing applications (e.g. Apple iWork Pages, IBM Lotus SmartSuite Word Pro) have similar functionality.
By establishing a template upfront and getting people to use it, you’ll save valuable time that might otherwise be spent reformatting the document. By providing a hierarchy of heading levels in the template, you can also help contributors to organise and consistently structure information.
For more information about Word templates, see this article from our second issue.
3. Maintain version control
Ever spent a few hours working on a document only to find it’s not the latest version? Version control is critical in any large documentation project, particularly one with multiple contributors and reviewers.
Having a version naming convention helps, but using a document version control tool like Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is even better. At Red Pony we often work across different sites, so we use the web-based tool Basecamp by 37 Signals to manage project communications and file exchange.
4. Allow time to review
It seems obvious, but when a deadline looms this last crucial step is often overlooked. Always allow time for the document to be reviewed and edited, preferably by someone other than the original author. A fresh set of eyes will pick up mistakes and omissions that might otherwise have been overlooked.
As well as allowing time for a thorough copy edit, make sure you conduct a final review before the document is released. You will be amazed at the things you pick up—the wrong client name, spelling errors on the title page, even missing sections. When the pressure is on people will make mistakes, so a quick final check may help avoid embarrassment later on.
Note: This article is an adaptation of the paper I presented at the 2009 IPEd Conference.
Etymology corner
Andrew Eather
Welcome to an occasional feature of the Red Pony Express that will uncover the murky origins of mysterious phrases that have entered everyday idiom but which do not immediately betray their origins.
This month: pushing the envelope, which means to exceed or extend the boundaries of the possible (or indeed, the permissible).
I’ve long hated this phrase, but have never been entirely sure why. Partly it’s because it seems so absurd—why is a humble piece of stationery being dragooned into the metaphorical service of vigorous and often transgressive activities? Why?? And why do people use it so frequently yet clearly have no idea what it means?
It was with some relief that I discovered the envelope in question refers not to stationery at all but to the mathematical construct of the ‘flight envelope’ of an aircraft. It refers to a matrix of factors (speed, altitude, range, etc.) that describe the capacity of the aircraft to withstand stress. The phrase was popularised by that white-suited latter-day dandy, Thomas Wolfe, in ‘The Right Stuff’.
In the context of test pilots flying experimental fighter aircraft (often to their deaths), it seems like a phrase equivalent to the task.
But when it’s employed to describe an actor swearing on television, it might be time to search for a less ambitious alternative.
Spelling traps - licence/license and practice/practise
Andrew Eather
The closest competitors for the stationary/stationery pairing (one of which, hopefully the correct one, you’ll find in my article above) for the title of Most Confused Spelling are the practice/practise and licence/license combinations.
Practice is a noun and practise is a verb. Seems straightforward enough, doesn’t it? Yet I find it rendered so randomly that I often have to remind myself which is correct.
The Americans don’t have this problem – they just use practice for both. Good for them.
And they do the same for license, using one spelling for everything. And no, I don’t know why they use an s at the end of license and a c at the end of practice. They just do.
So, cut this out and stick it to your monitor:
“I lost my licence to kill” (noun)
but,
“I am licensed to kill.” (verb)
And, “I’m late for karate practice” (noun)
but,
“I practise karate.” (verb)
And don’t even start me on defence/defense.
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