Information Product Development Process Quality: Vision, Process, and Implementation  

Two members of the management team from LSI Logic Storage Systems' Technical Publications Department review how their team developed a vision statement and an information product development process based on that vision statement. The workshop provides participants opportunities to learn about the value of vision statements and production processes as well as to begin developing these materials for their own organizations. Participants will also share ideas on how to maintain process integrity through customer focus, team feedback on product and process quality, and strategic continuous improvement. Participants will receive materials that enable them to draft their own vision statements, information product development processes, and continuous improvement team operating practices.

Burroughs, Dia H. and Randy Clark. STC Proceedings (2004). Careers>Management>TC

Inspections: Part of the Quality Evolution  

Inspections are apart of the rebirth of Total Quality Management directed at customer satisfaction. Although inspecting documents takes extra time and fortitude, the rewards far outweigh the investment. A formal inspection process improves the quality of documents and reduces costs over the long term. Through early defect detection, inspections have proven their value time and time again. In this workshop, we will share inspection process guidelines used at Bull Information Systems, and raise issues related to inspections.

Alicee, Audrey L. and Leigh A. Wales. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>TC>Quality

Interesting Times, Interesting Measures

We've been living in 'interesting' times, as the saying goes, and many of us feel that we've had about as much interest as we can tolerate, thank you very much. Chapter meeting attendance has been down and the popularity of technical presentations has decreased, while the popularity of career cafes and career management days has increased. In any conversation between three technical communicators, at least one is unemployed, about to be unemployed, or thinking about a career change.

Bailie, Rahel Anne. MetroVoice (2003). Careers>TC>Planning

Is Technical Writing Right For You?

Times are tight, and as a writer, maybe you find yourself looking for a new way to use your love for words in a way that generates a more steady stream of income. You come across articles and ebooks on technical writing and wonder if it may be right for you. You already know technical writers penned every owner’s manual for all the gadgets and gizmos, appliances and machines in your every day life. Did you also know they prepare reference manuals, product specifications, assembly instructions, parts lists, help screens and website text? Add to that all the mountains of information they create for businesses – employee handbooks, policy manuals, training manuals, and other documents specific to that type of business. If your only ambition is to see yourself on the NY Times Bestseller List, obviously technical writing isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you have ever had to wade through a user guide that was so vague or so far over your head that you thought I could have written a better book than this, technical writing may be worth considering.

Sommer, Diane. About.com (2003). Careers>Writing>TC

Is This Ethical? A Survey of Opinion on Principles and Practices of Document Design    

In a national survey, 500 technical communicators and 500 technical communication teachers were asked to assess the ethics of seven document design cases. According to the 455 respondents, manipulating typography and leading to fit more or less information on a page and using persuasive coloring or spacing are ethical practices, while the manipulation of pictorial illustrations and the distortion of graphics are unethical. Opinion on using typography to decrease readability is divided. In five of the seven cases, women are consistently more lenient or men consistently more strict in their answers: common practices, specifications, reader's responsibility, writer's responsibility, writer's intentions, consequences, judgments, principles, and insufficient information. The explanation most often given was consequences, indicating a 'goal-based' philosophy of ethics.

Dragga, Sam. Technical Communication Online (1996). Careers>TC>Document Design>Graphic Design

Jobs in Technical Communication: A Research Database  

This paper reports on the development of a long-term research database about qualifications listed in job announcements for positions in technical communication.

Broadhead, Glenn J., Malcolm Culbertson and G. Scott Gehrs. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>TC

Juggling Projects: Managing Multiple Technical Communication Projects  

Managing multiple projects can seem like juggling eggs in front of a crowd of people—sometimes you wonder if you’re going to catch everything! Many managers have difficulty maintaining the progress of multiple projects without focusing on one project while the others fall by the wayside. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the most common mistakes managers make and suggest techniques for staying on top of multiple technical communication projects. Before you know it, you’ll be juggling like a professional… juggler, that is.

Wise, Mary and Molly Hammar. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>Management>TC

Just Tech Writer Jobs

JustTechWriterJobs.com is a gateway to a collection of technology niched jobsites.

JustTechWriterJobs.com. Careers>Job Listings>TC

Keeping Our Sanity: Managing Change in an Ever-Changing World  

Change is an integral part of our lives. Businesses change, careers change, lives change. But what is the nature of change? And how can we effectively navigate change? Change is a dynamic process that in many ways is similar to the grief process. Strategies for navigating through change include humor, establishing and maintaining a vision, communication, other interests, adjustment time, and realizing that you have choices and options.

Eschen, Mary L. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC>History

Keeping Up with New Technologies: Professional Development for the Freelancer  

Online documentation... usability testing... multimedia—new tools and processes to support these and other technologies flood the technical communications field. All technical communicators face the challenge of keeping up with these developments. Freelancers, however, face a special challenge: they must be prepared to use any technology and must provide their own training. In this panel, four experienced freelancers discuss proven solutions to the professional development challenge.

Hayhoe, George F., Barbara J. Philbrick, Lynnette R. Porter, and David M. Taylor. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC>Technology

Know Before You Go  

The author discusses considerations in deciding whether to work abroad or not. Outlines possible goals and objectives as well as contract and visa issues.

Sala, David P. Intercom (2006). Careers>TC>International

Know Thy Recruiter

Techies often work with recruiters, but do they understand the recruiting business? Not usually, and that's too bad. To work effectively with recruiters, it helps to have more than passing knowledge of the recruiting business. Stan Dlugozima, managing partner of InPlace Technical Resources in New York, says technology professionals should know from the start how the business functions. To put it bluntly, companies pay Dlugozima to find individuals they want to hire. 'The company is my boss,' says Dlugozima. 'My job is to find a person who my client wants to hire.' Like techies, recruiting and staffing firms come in different flavors, typically divided into firms seeking workers for contract jobs or those trying to fill permanent positions.

Hoffman, Allan. Monster.com (2002). Careers>TC

Life Beyond Computer Documentation  

In this paper we explore the title statement by examining some of the places in an industrial, business or educational organization where a technical communicator might reside as well as some of the numerous roles the communicator might play and the kinds of products the communicator might produce. The paper is intended to help young communicators see more clearly that their job need not be limited to the routine, the mundane, and the terminally boring, and to encourage them to see that the field of technical communication is far broader that just the production of computer documentation.

Wise, Daniel E. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>TC>Documentation

The Life of a Lone Writer

'Lone writers' — those people who work as their employer’s only staff writers — are a different breed, with their own unique set of professional and personal challenges. At the same time a blessing and a curse, the lone writer life offers flexibility, variety, and autonomy, along with feelings of stress, isolation, and burnout.

Potsus, Whitney Beth. Writing Assistance (2006). Careers>TC>Technical Writing

The Lone Writer  

A discussion of the issues for a lone technical writer employed in an organization.

Alroy, Faye. Intercom (2003). Careers>TC

Making the Leap  

Increasingly, designers and publishers are finding themselves thrust into the world of 'new media.' Here's an overview of what to expect.

Larkin, James. Adobe Magazine (1995). Careers>Multimedia>TC

Making the Move to Marketing  

Making the move to marketing communication writing allows you to leverage your existing skills and requires that you gain some new ones.

Ausman, Deborah, Michele E. Davis, Kelli Gant and Laura Mulcahy. STC Proceedings (2000). Careers>TC>Marketing

Making the Transition from Student to Employee  

Advice to students preparing to become technical communicators.

Alroy, Faye. Intercom (2003). Careers>Advice>TC

Making the Transition From Techcom to Marcom

At first glance, technical communication (techcom) and technical marketing communication (marcom) appear to be very different genres. Where traditional techcom strives to help people use products, marcom seeks to make people realize they need products.

Simard, Christy. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>TC>Technical Writing>Marketing

Making the Transition from Technical Writer to Manager

This article is a collage of ideas and experiences from some people who've made the leap from writer to manager. Although it's not a step-by-step guideline, it provides some compelling insight as to what individuals might expect as they transition into the management ranks. Even if you are an experienced manager, you might find these ideas helpful.

Capri, Steve. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>Management>TC>Technical Writing

Managing the Monster, Managing the Zoo  

Every technical communicator, whether controlling a single large project or a dozen small ones, must develop a set of management skills appropriate to the task in order to remain a qualified member of the communication team. This calls for being part diplomat, part technical expert, part salesman, and part rhinoceros.

Wise, Daniel E. and Elizabeth Bailey. STC Proceedings (2004). Careers>TC>Project Management

Managing the Monster; Managing the Zoo  

Every technical communicator, whether controlling a single large project or a dozen small ones, must develop a set of management skills appropriate to the task in order to remain a qualified member of the communication team. This calls for being part diplomat, part technical expert, part salesman, and part rhinoceros.

Wise, Daniel E. and Elizabeth Bailey. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>Management>TC

Managing Your Career  

We as Technical Communicators must take more control over our careers. This session provides a quiz to rate career management progress and then offers practical suggestions, specifically for to the Technical Communicator to manage a career effectively. Topics such as career plans, networking, increasing professional visibility and contact tracking tools are discussed. Activity includes writing a career plan.

Bailey, Cheryl and Gena Belcher. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC>Planning

Marketing the Wily Technical Writer

If the world really is run by C students, then you have to ask yourself a question: How do I market myself in an ocean of average? Today's competitive job market can be a hard nut to crack. How do you stand out in that crowd?

Knowles, Michael. Write Thinking (2002). Careers>TC