The Changing Face of Technical Communication: New Directions for the Field in a New Millennium    

Identifies four different factors shaping the future of technical communication: user-centered design, corporate universities, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and knowledge management. The authors each address how factors once considered external to the field of technical communication are now becoming thoroughly integrated with it. These four studies, in conjunction, suggest how the field of technical communication is becoming increasingly complex and how participants (practitioners, researchers, and educators) will need to adapt to this new terrain.

Zachry, Mark, Kelli Cargile Cook, Brenton D. Faber and David Clark. ACM SIGDOC (2001). Presentations>TC>History

Changing to Outwit Change: Staying Motivated in the '90s  

Keeping motivation high and steady has never been easy; the changes of the 1990’s have made self-motivation even more difficult. We are expected to do more, faster, and better--with less structure and supervision. Simultaneously, other demands upon our time and energy have built, not lessened. Although the seriousness of these challenges cannot be denied, they can be met by the development of a motivational strategy requiring self-knowledge, self-discipline, and the willingness to change, as well as offering concrete ways of coping with the 90’s and making them productive, even happy. This Workshop will be a team presentation, alternating motivational theory/practice with supporting theories of brain functioning.

Weis, Monica and Alec Sutherland. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>History

Changing to Outwit Change: Staying Motivated in the '90s  

Keeping motivation high and steady has never been easy; the changes of the 1990’s have made self-motivation even more difficult. We are expected to do more, faster, and better--with less structure and supervision. Simultaneously, other demands upon our time and energy have built, not lessened. Although the seriousness of these challenges cannot be denied, they can be met by the development of a motivational strategy requiring self-knowledge, self-discipline, and the willingness to change, as well as offering concrete ways of coping with the 90’s and making them productive, even happy. This Workshop will be a team presentation, alternating motivational theory/practice with supporting theories of brain functioning.

Weis, Monica and Alec Sutherland. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>History

How Did the Special Needs Committee Get Started?  

A member of STC’s Special Needs Committee describes the history and goals of the Committee.

Hanigan, Mark. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>TC>History

Report of the Technical Writer, 2014: A Possible Future  

My task here is to ponder the next twenty years of technical communication as a way of stimulating discussion about our current values. Since I'm an historical scholar and not a futurologist, I'm going to prevail upon you to join me in a thought experiment. Instead of looking forward in the usual manner of labor department reports and trend-searching popular prophets, let's follow the practice of science fiction writers-I apologize in advance to William Gibson and other masters-and place ourselves ahead in the year 2014, then look back, beginning with our own time in 1994, writing, as it were, the history of the present.

Killingsworth, M. Jimmie. CPTSC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>TC>History

Researching the History of Technical Communication: Accessing and Analyzing Corporate Archives  

The historical roots of technical communication are just beginning to be identified and researched. Although many of the theoretical foundations of the field may be understood by focusing on the history of technical communication, several current interests and needs of practicing professionals may also be addressed through the study of the field’s history. With knowledge of the different kinds of corporate archival materials, of their typical locations, and of the techniques for using them, practitioners can begin to study and apply information from the past to their current work. Historical research also provides knowledge of corporate cultures and enhances the identity and professional status of technical communicators.

Shirk, Henrietta Nickels. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>TC>History

Trends in Technical Communication  

Some of the latest issues and trends that are expanding the roles of technical communicators include: working with User Interface and Usability; documenting web-based intranet applications; creating CBTs that complement online help; writing a standard that people actually use; evaluating our expanding tool base; redesign and Re-testing - Always consult with end users to ensure that the interface performance is maximized. If not, go back to the drawing board.

Brandon, John, Bobbi Magnuson, Sara Hoeppner and Nathan Melsted. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>TC>History