Today I created an imaginary character named Derek and described his lackluster efforts to support an imaginary web application with low-quality audit logging documentation, and his manager’s demand that documents be completed acceptably within two weeks. Derek also attends a bug discussion meeting. Tomorrow I will create another character and describe his day, which will proceed with happier results.
I am definitely having trouble deciding on the outline of the book. I’m doing much thinking about the content of the book. I’m wondering a little about the length of the book, too. Well that will be at least 60 pages. But how long is long enough? I need to decide how the book will conclude, and how to connect the characters I create with the behavioral techniques I want to suggest. I also want to interview the real-life counterparts of my characters to learn the stories of their careers, because I’ve only seen snapshots of their work over the space of two or three years and don’t yet know how they started out and how they came to the positions they have. So I believe I will have to factor in time to arrange and conduct at least one or two interviews in addition to the daily two pages.
I am also thinking about other service oriented professionals besides information technology specialists. Are there common success factors that can be observed among nurses, automotive mechanics, and software developers who are rising in their careers? I think there are. But I need to study this new thought a bit more.
Yes I have a message…a theme…a banner that I want to hold high and talk about. But I’m also having a tough time wondering what to say in the next two pages and how to say the stuff that interests me.