#21686
Why Technical Writers are Midwives
Technical writers are midwives who deliver the message to users. Experienced technical writers enable you to understand complex technical concepts easily. Based on personal experience, technical writers always put the reader first.
#13551
Every year, each STC member is given the opportunity to vote twice as a member, once for the next year's Society (international-level) leaders and once for the next year's chapter (local-level) leaders. The Society and its chapters expend much effort and expense each year to recruit candidates and develop and distribute ballots; however, only about 10% of STC's members ever return those ballots. If such a small portion of members participate in elections, why bother holding them? The most fundamental reason is that STC's bylaws and the bylaws of each chapter require a duly elected leadership.
Wing, Liz. Carolina Communique (2000). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#21512
Winning the Trust of the Researchers We Work With 
Technical communicators serve as bridges between researchers and a variety of audiences that include other researchers, the news media, and the public. The latter group includes potential funders, such as agency administrators and legislators, as well as scientists/engineers in other fields. Most professional discussions seem to center on how well we meet the needs of our various publics, but this discussion will look into the steps that we need to take to meet the needs of the researchers we work with and to win and maintain their trust. This discussion should emphasize the different “cultures” that are sometimes in conflict: for example, the standards and aims of the scientific and journalistic professions are quite different and sometimes contradictory.
Armbruster, David L., Judith Gunn Bronson, E. Charles Crume, Jr., Nancy E. Davis and Margaret Boone Nester. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>TC>Professionalism
#20754
Winning Them Over: Demonstrating the Value of Technical Communication
Demonstrating the value of technical communication is an ongoing problem for technical communicators everywhere. Two problems face technical communicators. First, the flow of information (or lack thereof) between technical communicators regarding the wide variety of jobs we perform. Second, explaining and justifying the work we do to potential clients, managers, and technical staff that are either unaware of the work we do or skeptical of the added value that technical communicators can bring to the work place. Proactive approaches overviewed will include ways to educate others about the tasks included in job descriptions of technical communicators and how to demonstrate the value of good technical communication to others.
Gasser, Carol and Lianna Fahey. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>TC>Assessment
#32011
With All This Fuss About Tools, Three Best Practice Attitudes
Although tools seem to play a significant role in technical authoring, some people disagree. Embrace tool learning. Recognize that the 'best tool' is relative. Expose knowledge gaps.
Johnson, Tom H. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>TC>Advice>Software
#29923
The movement toward a global standard definition for our profession will be a long process, but it is already underway. STC is playing an important role in ensuring that the process benefits its members and contributes to the competitiveness of the firms that employ them.
Burton, Susan. Intercom (2007). Articles>TC>Professionalism>International
#22251
Review: Writing a Professional Life: Stories of Technical Communicators on and off the Job 
Organized into three parts ('Initiation stories,' 'The process,' and 'Life on and off the job'), the stories cover the gamut of job titles, employers, and years of experience. The book also lists contributors' stories by topic, making it easy to locate subjects such as 'authoring, ethos and identity,' 'collaboration and teamwork,' or 'ethics.' There's a little something for everyone in this readable book, even if you've been in the field for years—and especially if you're ready for something just a little bit different.
Anderson, Darrill. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>TC
#19087
Writing at the End of Text: Rethinking Production in Technical Communication 
Technical Communication, as a discipline and as a practice, has always held an odd relationship to writing: We practice a subordinate for of writing, one step or more removed from those our cultures value most highly. We are not, admittedly, authors in the sense in which Foucault once defined the term. The writing that technical communicators do is of a different status than the writing that authors do. Although we could say that manuals and instructions and online help are the fuel that increasingly powers our economy, we would have to admit that our texts do not receive the esteem given to literature. But we might, instead, arrange the issue differently: what if technical communication rejects writing? Not merely in the sense that 'communication' is about multiple media, but in the more fundamental sense that technical communication is about a different order of production, more like the database than the essay. Rephrasing the question of value this way presents a different set of approaches to technical communication curricula, among other things, allowing us to take new perspectives on a set of issues that have haunted our field from the beginning.
Johnson-Eilola, Johndan. CPTSC Proceedings (2000). Articles>TC>Theory
#18774
The perils and temptations of high fashion are not unlike those of technical writing. As technical writers, we are bombarded by ever-changing trends. And beyond trends, we must contend with larger movements driven by the digital generation. In the midst of constant change, we are tasked with creating quality material and then shaping it to fresh and exciting designs.
Morris, Angie and Candace Wagner. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Writing>TC
#22451
The Zen of TC: Transgressing Imagined Boundaries Between Liberal Arts and Technical Communication
The field of Technical Communication has long recognized the value of bringing the world of business and research into the TC classroom. Indeed, most TC programs not only require students to analyze case studies of real-world business enterprises, they also require students to participate in intensive internship programs. Certainly, TC students who engage in exercises either modeled after effective business and research practices or directly situated within these environments are better able to contribute to their employer's success once they graduate.
Mott, Richard K. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>TC
#24205
The next year will be a lean one. The focus on ROI will require us to do more with less, use reliable—not sexy—tools, and manage our information products processes more efficiently. But information still needs to be disseminated, and this is a good opportunity for us to take charge of our profession’s future. My final word: Hang in there for 2002. We’ve seen ups and downs before, and next year is bound to be better.
Berger, Paula R. Intercom (2002). Articles>TC
#32088
I've long been an advocate that teaching technical communication without teaching tools is like teaching art students about painting without talking about brushes.
Hughes, Michael A. User Assistance (2008). Articles>TC>Software
#32099
Technical Communication (TC) has many facets but at the core of every effort, deliverable, meeting or other task is the challenge to solve a problem. Whether the task is to write or otherwise communicate an explanation of how to do or use something, convince a client to use your services, resolve an interpersonal conflict between yourself and someone else or between others, or determine the best content delivery medium for a specific scenario, you will always have two challenges: clearly identifying the problem and producing a satisfactory solution to it.
Prichard, Craig. Dr. Explain (2008). Articles>TC
#32117
Technical communication is the process of conveying usable information through writing or speech about a specific domain to an intended audience. Information is usable if the intended audience is able to perform an action or make a decision based on its contents. Technical communicators often work collaboratively to create products (deliverables) for various media, including paper, video, and the Internet. Deliverables include online help user manuals, technical manuals, specifications, process and procedure manuals, reference cards, training, business papers and reports.
#32127
Members often ask what advantages they receive for their membership dollars. The answer is so obvious we sometimes fail to see it. With apologies to the kind souls at MasterCard, a few thoughts on the value of your STC membership.
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. STC Phoenix (2006). Articles>TC>Professionalism>STC
#32137
Technical communication must ultimately serve the reader - there must be something that the writer can do to clarify the information and make reading part of the process that makes the product usable.
Schwarcz, Mati. Art of Technical Communication, The (2008). Articles>TC>Writing>Technical Writing
#32155
Ten Technical Communication Myths
Technical communication has accumulated its share of mythical rules of thumb, but the good news about our profession's myths is that they too contain grains of truth and insights into things that are truly important to us. (This work is a reprint of http://tc.eserver.org/10500.html, but not locked for STC members only.)
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. TECHWR-L (2000). Articles>TC
#32158
Changing Dynamics, Economy, and Momentum 
To reinvigorate the chapter, former chapter president, Theresa Putkey suggested that the chapter move to a member-driven, online community. Instead of the eight volunteers currently pulling the chapter along, the chapter’s 250 members can set the pace, build momentum, and provide more value than a handful of volunteers are able to provide.
Putkey, Theresa. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#32159
So, Why Should You Be a Member of STC, Anyway?
As a former Board member, I was often buttonholed by members to discuss what the Board was doing and our plans for STC's future. One of the most common topics of discussion was, "What am I getting for my membership and why should I renew?" Why should you renew? Beats the heck outta me. But I can tell you why I renew, year after year after year.
Hedtke, John. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Professionalism>STC
#32164
This study examines how a very light jet start-up, Eclipse Aviation, changed its ethos appeals in order to survive the loss of its principally declared innovation, a jet aircraft engine. Eclipse Aviation’s corporate transformation from a spin-off company to a convergence-of-innovation company hinged on modifying an early marketing strategy. To overcome the loss of the jet engine, employees had to radically modify earlier expert representations and adopt rhetorical appeals that more closely parallel what Miller described as "cyborg discourse." To understand how Eclipse Aviation survived the typically fatal loss of a stated primary innovation and to explore the implications that this particular start-up’s rupture has for technology transfer and technical marketing, this study centers its analysis on a Web site that marketers used to "ventilate" the company and prevent financial collapse. The transformation in the company’s marketing strategy illustrates how cyborg ethos appeals aggregate and discipline distributed stakeholder roles.
Mara, Andrew. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2008). Articles>TC>Marketing>Case Studies
#32172
The Google Chrome Comic: Why it Didn't Work
I'm amazed with the Google project, because the lack of narrative seems like a basic omission from such a high profile project.
Porter, Alan J. Content Pool, The (2008). Articles>TC>Technical Illustration>Web Browsers
#32174
Why Technical Publishing Shouldn't Be Art
The work may start with the author, but to get it from the author to the end reader means it also has to go through an editor, copy editor, book designer, typesetter, printer, sales and marketing team, distributor, book buyer, and, eventually, a retail store.
Porter, Alan J. TechCom Manager (2008). Articles>TC>Publishing>Project Management
#32196
Training Technical Communicators for Management
When you think of the best manager you have ever worked for, you probably remember his/her ability to motivate you and your colleagues, his/her professional but personable demeanor, and the way his/her organizational skills matched the right person with the right responsibilities. In your management role, you strive to do all these things. However, to make the greatest impact, you must not only excel as a manager yourself, but also help the next generation of leaders develop their managerial skills.
Erber-Stark, Jessica. TechCom Manager (2007). Articles>Management>TC>Education
#32197
This year was an active one for the field of technical communication. New tools and technologies made their mark on our profession, while new pressures and business goals began to impact the way we see ourselves, our role in the organization, and our place in the communication spectrum. In this end-of-the-year report, Scott Abel, president of TheContentWrangler.com, takes a look at some of the year's most important developments in the field of technical communication and makes a few predictions of importance to documentation managers for 2007.
Abel, Scott. TechCom Manager (2006). Articles>TC>History
#32198
As a retired teacher with many years of experience, I’m new to the world of technical writing. However, from what I’ve observed so far, all the world is not only a stage; all the world is also a classroom.
Grabill, Pat. TechCom Manager (2006). Articles>TC>Education
