Let's be helpful...WAS Re: [Sigia-l] web writing for kids

[Todd R.Warfel]

On Mar 10, 2004, CWodtke (at) eleganthack.com wrote:

>  In vague hopes of elevating the subject: there *is* a reason we 
> shouldn't
>  let bad behavior go unchecked[...]

Well said Christina. And if we would all act like adults, then this 
wouldn't be an issue. Just seems that a select few have to often ruin 
it for the rest of us.

Yes, we all have the "right" to post here. But with that right comes 
responsibility. And it's the responsibility part that a couple of us 
tend to forget, or openly neglect.

Here's a few suggestions:
• Keep your posts on-topic
• Don't post just to hear yourself talk (or see yourself write)
• There's nothing wrong with being a lurker if you don't have something 
significant or relevant to contribute

The fact is that if we all behaved like adults and could be trusted 
with being responsible, then we wouldn't need a moderator, now would 
we? It's not about being overly sensitive, or needing to "toughen up." 
It's about responsibility and accountability.

Which brings me to another thing - it really blows my mind we 
continually have to come in and rescue other consulting firms who have 
botched up a job. And they continue to get work from clients. I've had 
countless discussions from clients who've made comments like "They've 
been here for over a year and we don't have a thing to show for it."

Where's the accountability and responsibility in our discipline? I hold 
our firm to a high degree of accountability and responsibility. We 
continually ask clients to provide us feedback on our work, how we 
could improve, where we excelled, how we could outperform their 
expectations even more with the next project, if our deliverables make 
sense and ask them to describe them back to us to make sure they "get 
it."

What do you guys (and gals) do to make sure you're accountable to the 
client? Or do you not care? How do you measure this?


Cheers!

Todd R. Warfel
User Experience Architect
MessageFirst | making products easier to use
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In practice, they are not.