Summary Report
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Summary Report
Form:Tech Writer Manager Survey
Launch Date: 9/30/2003Total Respondents: 1021
Expiration Date: With packageVisible Responses: 1021
 

Documentation Managers Survey Results

Following are the results of the 2003 Documentation Managers Survey sponsored by Metri-Mark Inc.. We had 1026 respondents of which 566 were managers and 455 were non-managers. Note that the first two questions are from the non-managers and the rest are from managers.

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Non-Managers

11. What best describes you?
  Percentage Total
Technical Writer 
75.488%348
Marketing Writer 
3.254%15
Web Content Writer 
3.471%16
Graphic/Web Designer 
0.868%4
Training Developer 
4.338%20
Related Services (Staffing, Consulting, HR) 
1.302%6
Other 
11.28%52
Total Respondents461
Skipped this question560
22. What is your employment status?
  Percentage Total
Working as a direct employee 
65.076%300
Working contract 
16.92%78
Working PT and looking for more work 
4.338%20
Not Working 
11.063%51
NA 
2.603%12
Total Respondents461
Skipped this question560
2003 Documentation Department Manager Survey
31. What best describes the industry you are in?
  Percentage Total
Manufacturing 
11.131%63
High Tech 
51.767%293
Health Care/Medical 
4.594%26
Financial Services/Insurance 
8.481%48
Service 
6.537%37
Government 
4.417%25
Other 
13.074%74
Total Respondents566
Skipped this question455
42. What best describes your role as a manager?
  Percentage Total
Documentation manager, with tech writing experience 
79.329%449
Documentation manager, w/o tech writing experience 
3.887%22
IT manager 
1.237%7
Marketing manager 
1.943%11
Product manager 
1.06%6
Project Manager 
6.184%35
Manufacturing or Operations manager 
0.883%5
Other 
5.477%31
Total Respondents566
Skipped this question455
53. How many writers do you supervise?
  Percentage Total
Just myself 
10.954%62
One writer 
12.898%73
2-5 writers 
43.993%249
6-10 writers 
13.958%79
10+ writers 
14.841%84
None at this time 
3.357%19
Total Respondents566
Skipped this question455
64. As a manager how much time do you spend writing technical documentation vs. other responsibilities, supervising and administrative work?
  Percentage Total
None 
14.991%85
1-10% 
17.46%99
10-25% 
20.106%114
25-50% 
19.577%111
50-75% 
18.342%104
75-95% 
9.524%54
Total Respondents567
Skipped this question454
75. Do you have budget and hiring control over your documentation group?
  Percentage Total
Yes 
49.027%277
No 
18.053%102
Budget Only 
1.947%11
Hiring Only 
30.973%175
Total Respondents565
Skipped this question456
86. What are your biggest challenges in managing your writers? Give each challenge a ranking value with 1 being the biggest challenge and 8 being the least challenge. Please note that you can use each value only once.
Percentage indicates total respondent ratio and parenthesis indicate actual number12345678Total
Finding good employees18.63%
(101)		16.79%
(91)		17.53%
(95)		13.28%
(72)		12.18%
(66)		9.59%
(52)		7.38%
(40)		4.61%
(25)		542
Keeping good employees1.86%
(10)		10.22%
(55)		13.38%
(72)		16.36%
(88)		17.29%
(93)		21.56%
(116)		14.13%
(76)		5.2%
(28)		538
Promoting value of your group20.96%
(114)		18.2%
(99)		16.54%
(90)		14.89%
(81)		9.19%
(50)		9.56%
(52)		6.07%
(33)		4.6%
(25)		544
Lack of work for your staff 8.05%
(43)		4.31%
(23)		4.49%
(24)		5.62%
(30)		4.68%
(25)		10.67%
(57)		19.66%
(105)		42.51%
(227)		534
Too much work and not enough resources32.16%
(174)		21.63%
(117)		10.72%
(58)		11.09%
(60)		8.69%
(47)		4.25%
(23)		5.36%
(29)		6.1%
(33)		541
Dealing with difficult SMEs2.63%
(14)		13.35%
(71)		15.79%
(84)		13.91%
(74)		17.48%
(93)		16.17%
(86)		13.91%
(74)		6.77%
(36)		532
Personnel issues6.82%
(36)		8.71%
(46)		11.93%
(63)		15.34%
(81)		16.86%
(89)		16.86%
(89)		16.67%
(88)		6.82%
(36)		528
Other8.5%
(34)		5%
(20)		9.25%
(37)		10%
(40)		13%
(52)		11.5%
(46)		15.5%
(62)		27.25%
(109)		400
97. What kind of management training do you receive from your current company? (List all that apply.)
  Percentage Total
None 
34.629%196
Training from immediate supervisor 
23.145%131
Formal on-site training sessions 
38.163%216
Formal off-site training seminars 
34.452%195
Books and tapes 
26.678%151
Online courses (PC or Web-based) 
27.032%153
   Other
7.067%40
Total Respondents566
Skipped this question455
108. What are your major concerns about production of your documents? (List in order of importance)
Percentage indicates total respondent ratio and parenthesis indicate actual number123456Total
Quality34.24%
(189)		27.72%
(153)		21.56%
(119)		7.07%
(39)		5.62%
(31)		3.8%
(21)		552
Cost5.29%
(29)		11.86%
(65)		13.5%
(74)		25.36%
(139)		34.31%
(188)		9.67%
(53)		548
Appearance0.93%
(5)		6.85%
(37)		22.41%
(121)		35.93%
(194)		30.74%
(166)		3.15%
(17)		540
Accuracy35.56%
(197)		34.48%
(191)		13.36%
(74)		7.58%
(42)		4.69%
(26)		4.33%
(24)		554
Time18.65%
(102)		17.18%
(94)		28.52%
(156)		19.56%
(107)		14.81%
(81)		1.28%
(7)		547
Other6.65%
(27)		2.22%
(9)		1.23%
(5)		2.71%
(11)		9.85%
(40)		77.34%
(314)		406
119. How does the workload and stress level in your management role compare to a technical writer/staff role?
  Percentage Total
Much heavier 
28.723%162
Heavier 
53.546%302
No difference 
12.234%69
Lighter 
2.482%14
Much lighter 
0.887%5
Not applicable 
2.128%12
Total Respondents564
Skipped this question457
1210. Does your company involve your department/staff early enough in the development stage of projects?
  Percentage Total
Yes 
31.206%176
No 
20.213%114
Sometimes 
47.34%267
Unsure  0%0
Not applicable 
1.241%7
Total Respondents564
Skipped this question457
2003 Documentation Department Manager Survey
1311. How well does your company value technical writers?
  Percentage Total
Very little 
21.288%119
Good appreciation 
51.878%290
Highly valuable 
19.32%108
Unsure 
7.513%42
Total Respondents559
Skipped this question462
1412. How are you promoting your documentation services? (List all that apply.)
  Percentage Total
Actively speak to managers 
63.588%358
Send out internal communications promoting our services 
34.991%197
Do not need to promote our department – just do good work and business comes our way 
37.123%209
No promotion done, it is not encouraged or approved 
9.769%55
Nothing yet 
4.263%24
   Other
16.874%95
Total Respondents563
Skipped this question458
1513. Is telecommuting accepted at your company?
  Percentage Total
Yes 
37.234%210
No 
20.922%118
Sometimes 
39.184%221
Unsure 
2.66%15
Total Respondents564
Skipped this question457
1614. Has the number of writers in your department changed over the past 12 months?
  Percentage Total
More writers 
23.077%129
Fewer writers 
37.925%212
Same number 
38.283%214
Unsure 
0.716%4
Total Respondents559
Skipped this question462
1715. How do you expect this staff level to change over the next 12 months?
  Percentage Total
More writers 
29.359%165
Fewer writers 
10.854%61
Same number 
49.644%279
Unsure 
10.142%57
Total Respondents562
Skipped this question459
1816. What kind of writers does your company use?
  Percentage Total
Only permanent W-2 employees 
33.096%186
Only contractors 
6.05%34
Both permanent employees and contractors 
60.854%342
Total Respondents562
Skipped this question459
1917. When hiring a writer what skills/qualities are most important? (Rank in order of importance.)
Percentage indicates total respondent ratio and parenthesis indicate actual number123456789Total
Writing ability49.01%
(273)		20.11%
(112)		12.57%
(70)		6.28%
(35)		2.87%
(16)		1.44%
(8)		1.8%
(10)		1.62%
(9)		4.31%
(24)		557
Tool knowledge3.11%
(17)		12.61%
(69)		17.92%
(98)		20.11%
(110)		19.93%
(109)		13.71%
(75)		8.04%
(44)		3.11%
(17)		1.46%
(8)		547
Subject matter/industry knowledge11.54%
(63)		13.19%
(72)		13.19%
(72)		14.47%
(79)		19.96%
(109)		13.55%
(74)		10.26%
(56)		2.93%
(16)		0.92%
(5)		546
Attitude/personality19.82%
(108)		22.02%
(120)		20%
(109)		16.88%
(92)		9.36%
(51)		6.06%
(33)		2.57%
(14)		1.65%
(9)		1.65%
(9)		545
Writing experience6.96%
(38)		19.41%
(106)		20.88%
(114)		23.26%
(127)		17.95%
(98)		5.68%
(31)		4.03%
(22)		1.83%
(10)		0%
(0)		546
College degree2.26%
(12)		3.58%
(19)		9.43%
(50)		7.74%
(41)		12.64%
(67)		29.81%
(158)		24.91%
(132)		5.85%
(31)		3.77%
(20)		530
Affordability2.04%
(11)		3.15%
(17)		5.75%
(31)		9.83%
(53)		15.4%
(83)		26.16%
(141)		32.47%
(175)		3.34%
(18)		1.86%
(10)		539
Other2.01%
(6)		5.35%
(16)		1%
(3)		2.01%
(6)		2.01%
(6)		2.01%
(6)		10.03%
(30)		68.56%
(205)		7.02%
(21)		299
Not applicable7.6%
(13)		1.17%
(2)		0.58%
(1)		0%
(0)		0.58%
(1)		1.75%
(3)		1.17%
(2)		4.09%
(7)		83.04%
(142)		171
2018. How do you find new writers? (Rate all that apply.)
Percentage indicates total respondent ratio and parenthesis indicate actual number1234567N/ATotal
Online job boards26.94%
(111)		22.57%
(93)		15.78%
(65)		9.47%
(39)		5.34%
(22)		2.67%
(11)		4.13%
(17)		13.11%
(54)		412
Networking45.28%
(211)		23.61%
(110)		12.66%
(59)		5.79%
(27)		3.43%
(16)		2.15%
(10)		3.22%
(15)		3.86%
(18)		466
HR department30.19%
(128)		18.4%
(78)		17.45%
(74)		8.73%
(37)		6.13%
(26)		4.01%
(17)		4.48%
(19)		10.61%
(45)		424
Third-party staffing agencies14.63%
(54)		18.16%
(67)		14.63%
(54)		12.74%
(47)		9.76%
(36)		4.61%
(17)		7.05%
(26)		18.43%
(68)		369
Newspaper advertisements8.99%
(31)		12.75%
(44)		11.88%
(41)		14.2%
(49)		12.75%
(44)		7.25%
(25)		6.67%
(23)		25.51%
(88)		345
Other14.34%
(35)		10.25%
(25)		9.84%
(24)		4.51%
(11)		6.97%
(17)		14.75%
(36)		6.97%
(17)		32.38%
(79)		244
Not applicable7.88%
(13)		0.61%
(1)		0.61%
(1)		0.61%
(1)		2.42%
(4)		2.42%
(4)		16.36%
(27)		69.09%
(114)		165
2119. Which of the following online resources for finding technical writers do you use? (List all that apply)
  Percentage Total
Monster 
39.099%217
Hot Jobs 
18.739%104
Techies 
3.604%20
Dice 
7.207%40
Careerbuilder 
7.928%44
STC 
62.342%346
Do not use on-line resources 
23.063%128
   Other
17.838%99
Total Respondents555
Skipped this question466
2220. What kind of training is available for the writers in your department? (List all that apply)
  Percentage Total
Formal in-house training 
37.367%210
Supervisor-provided training 
57.829%325
Company-paid outside training 
51.423%289
None 
16.37%92
Total Respondents562
Skipped this question459
2003 Documentation Department Manager Survey
2321. What is your annual salary?
  Percentage Total
Less than 40k 
3.137%17
40-50k 
10.148%55
50-60k 
17.159%93
60-70k 
17.343%94
70-80k 
18.45%100
More than 80k 
33.764%183
Total Respondents542
Skipped this question479
2422. How do you feel about your compensation?
  Percentage Total
Significantly overpaid 
0.359%2
Slightly overpaid 
3.052%17
Fairly compensated 
47.756%266
Slightly underpaid 
34.829%194
Significantly underpaid 
14.004%78
Total Respondents557
Skipped this question464
2523. Do you feel you have good advancement opportunities at your company?
  Percentage Total
Yes 
34.946%195
No 
45.699%255
Unsure/Not applicable 
19.355%108
Total Respondents558
Skipped this question463
2624. What types of documentation does your department produce? (Select all that apply.)
  Percentage Total
Printed materials 
87.411%493
PDF files 
91.667%517
Online help (Windows, HTML, or Java) 
76.064%429
Web sites/pages 
61.879%349
Intranet sites/pages 
54.078%305
CBT 
20.922%118
   Other
13.83%78
Total Respondents564
Skipped this question457
2725. Do you use or are you considering use of structured authoring and XML-based development?
  Percentage Total
Currently using 
20.036%112
Considering using 
41.86%234
No 
25.224%141
Unsure 
9.839%55
Not applicable 
3.041%17
Total Respondents559
Skipped this question462
2826. Do you "single source" your documentation or are you considering use of "single sourcing"?
  Percentage Total
Currently using 
35.125%196
Considering using 
35.305%197
No 
19.534%109
Unsure 
6.272%35
Not applicable 
3.763%21
Total Respondents558
Skipped this question463
2927. Does your company use content management tools?
  Percentage Total
Yes 
32.321%181
No 
40.893%229
We are looking at using them 
21.429%120
Unsure 
5.357%30
Total Respondents560
Skipped this question461