Notes from 57th International STC Conference
Dallas, Texas, May 2-5, 2010

You Need It When? Project/Time Management for Editors
Technical Editing SIG Progression, “Editing Challenges and Opportunities”

Lillian McAnally

An editor and project manager for PBS&J, Lillian won the STC-Orlando Chapter’s Gloria Jaffe Award as the Outstanding Technical Communicator in Central Florida in 2008.

Session Description: This presentation presented 10 tips for more effective project management.

• Ten tips for successful project management
   
• Plan and prioritize. This is necessary for survival. Have a production schedule and build in margin!
• Ask questions specific to the project you’re on. Understand it.
• Delegate, delegate, delegate. Divide and conquer large tasks. How do you “eat an elephant”? One bite at a time.
• Learn how to negotiate. You will inevitably need to.
• Keep track of your time. Time = $.
• Use a style sheet and guidelines. Or have editorial chaos.
• Make the most of down time. Or you’ll wish you did.
• Don’t overcommit yourself. You’ll burn out.*
• Learn to say no. But be careful who you say no to.*
• Learn when it’s time to let it go. And do so.*

*The first seven tips are strategic and tactical. The last three are much more difficult because they tap into basic personality characteristics.