It is not enough to read about how publication managers should conduct their business (see also, Hackos), you should also talk to some live specimens! For that reason, your group will be responsible for setting up, conducting, and reporting on two interviews with the same publication manager. The four managers who have, to date, volunteered their time include

• Tracy Bridgeford, manager of Computers and Composition, an academic journal

  <tbbridge>, 7-3272, rm. 141 Walker

   

• Dean Woodbeck, manager of MTU's Annual Report to Alumni and other publications

  <dlwoodbe>, 7-3327, rm. G15 Admin. Building

   

• Maryanne Brokaw, manager of the MTU catalog and other publications

  <mbrokaw>, 7-3509, G18 Admin. Building

   

• Janet Wolfe, manager of UPPCO's Annual Report to Stockholders and other publications

  482-5000, 600 E Lakeshore Dr., Houghton, MI

   

• Others? If you know of other professional publications managers in the area or who can be interviewed online (via email or the chat programs in the CCLI, please let me know who they are, what they publish, and how your group will go about interviewing them.

These folks are, of course, extremely busy but also willing to dedicate some time to talking with young professionals interested in the publication business. They have agreed to meet twice during the term for 30 minutes in order to address two topics:

1. What's the job like? What is the job of a publications manager like? Who do they work with? What attitudes or approaches do these jobs require? What is your organization like, how do you fit in, and how are publications going to be handled in the near future?
2. How do you get things published? Describe the production process: Who do you work with? How do you go about getting a project published and distributed in a timely fashion at the quality and quantity they need?

Your group's job is to

1. set up two meeting times (one in the 4th week and the other in the 6th or 7th week)
2. make sure you have thoughtful questions to ask your interviewee
3. get to the interviews on time
4. take copious notes on what is discussed (audio tape the interview if they are willing and you have the technology)
5. report on the type of job your interviewee has (from the first interview)
6. report on the type(s) of production processes s/he uses (from the second, follow-up interview)

Double counting is a good thing:

Notice that the information that your group collects in these interviews and the material you see presented in class will help you with your Individual Assignment for HU 330.

Roles:

Your group members might consider taking on individual roles or combinations of roles during the interview:

• facilitator--prepares questions, sets up meetings, reminds group members and sets up rides if necessary, sends "thank you" note to interviewee after last interview.
• interviewer--asks questions and follow up questions during interview sessions
• note taker--takes copious notes and summarizes those notes in order to get feedback from the group and then presents those summaries to the class

Presentations:

In 6th week, your group will present what you learned from the interview about job issues.

In the 8th week, your group will present what you learned from the interview about production issues.

The Hackos Book:

Joann Hackos' textbook for this class has several sections that will not be assigned formally that bare directly on the institutions surrounding publications managers. Hackos is interested in helping managers change the nature of the organization in order to promote "planned publishing." The most relevant sections that at least one person in your group should read before you go to the first interview are the following:

• Chapter 3: A Process-Maturity Model for Publishing Organizations (pp. 44-74)
• Chapter 5: Starting Projects on Time (pp. 85-99)