http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Professionalism A listing of the most recently indexed works about Professionalism in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Professionalism http://tc.eserver.org/35838.html http://tc.eserver.org/35838.html Parents spend years trying to teach their children to be polite, and some of us had to learn at school how to properly address an archbishop. Yet, it seems that advice on courteousness and politeness in technical communication is in short supply; most of us learn these skills through what is euphemistically called “on the job training.” With enough bruises on my back to demonstrate the amount and variety of my experience in this area (though not my skill), here are some of the things I’ve learned. http://tc.eserver.org/35739.html http://tc.eserver.org/35739.html Social media sites offer a range of new opportunities for communication, marketing and networking. But employees’ unfettered online engagement can be bad for business and potentially injurious to their employment and career prospects. Social media present a huge threat to organizations’ reputations, especially those that don’t inform and educate their staff about their online responsibilities. That’s why Web 2.0 education must become a priority for HR departments, who should collaborate with PR teams to brief employees about appropriate online engagement. The same Web 2.0 education must become part of new staff induction programs. http://tc.eserver.org/35385.html http://tc.eserver.org/35385.html As you blog, remember that you have a relationship with your readers -- a relationship that requires you to disclose any important information, especially monetary, that might bias your views. Don't ruin relationships with those around you by revealing private details of their lives without approval. Ensure you don't represent your company in a negative light. And choose balanced, honest posts rather than sensationalism. http://tc.eserver.org/35400.html http://tc.eserver.org/35400.html How prepared are you, as a policies and procedures (P&P) professional, to draw the line if you are asked to change hats from your analyst role to the role of performing the tasks of the organizational practices you are documenting? http://tc.eserver.org/35369.html http://tc.eserver.org/35369.html We confuse people when there is a disconnect between our stated beliefs and our theories in use. When managers say they demand teamwork but evaluate employees based on individual accomplishments, they do a disservice to the person who puts the team's overall needs ahead of his or her specific goals. That person gets punished for believing what the boss said and acting on it. But don't be so quick to blame the disconnect on your behavior--It could be you are reciting scripts that describe what you think you should do. http://tc.eserver.org/35327.html http://tc.eserver.org/35327.html It is clear that the term blacklist, and the newer term whitelist, and yes, graylist, are not racist in origin. Nor are they used today with any connotation about race. But these terms are culture-bound and might present globalization issues. That is, the colors black and white are not globally perceived as negative and positive, respectively. In some cultures, the meaning is the opposite. http://tc.eserver.org/35316.html http://tc.eserver.org/35316.html The mission of STC is to “advance the arts and sciences of technical communication.” How does this help you, the member? I have been a freelancer/business owner for the vast majority of my career (so far). Let me say a few things about STC’s value proposition for mercenaries like me. http://tc.eserver.org/35194.html http://tc.eserver.org/35194.html Introverted people aren’t normally considered passionate. Even if you’re an extrovert, would you consider yourself passionate about technical communication? http://tc.eserver.org/35133.html http://tc.eserver.org/35133.html In today's marketplace, a premium is placed on corporate image and business attire. The rationale is that appearance reflects on the employer. We tell students that first impressions, made within the first 60 seconds of meeting, are critical to their future success. As professors of management and marketing, we are routinely engaged in preparing students for professional occupations inclusive of an awareness that business attire is often reflective of a willingness to conform to workplace norms. We have known for quite some time that appearance can be indicative of conformity. Countless stories and lawsuits reveal lost career opportunities because employees failed to “look the part.” This reality is exemplified in the sitcom Ugly Betty, which provides weekly challenges encouraging us to consider the value of conformity as reflected by our appearance. Betty is an aspiring editor of a major fashion magazine. Raised in a blue-collar, working-class family, Betty does not conform to contemporary notions of style. Clothes in her world have a practical application that should not overshadow the individual's inner beauty. Betty functions with the utmost integrity in a world of competition and greed as her counterparts claw their way up the corporate ladder. Interestingly, they, unlike Betty, remain under the radar as their fashionable sense of style provides a veneer of honesty, fair play, and an unquestionable willingness to conform to the company dress code. http://tc.eserver.org/35142.html http://tc.eserver.org/35142.html In this article, we describe ongoing research about the professional characteristics projected by formal versus casual workplace attire. We also describe our research about preferences for company norms and standards regarding typical workplace attire. http://tc.eserver.org/34893.html http://tc.eserver.org/34893.html Enemies of usability claim that because "the experts disagree," they can safely ignore user advocates' expertise and run with whatever design they personally prefer. http://tc.eserver.org/34894.html http://tc.eserver.org/34894.html ユーザビリティの敵達は「専門家の意見が一致していない」という理由で主張し、ユーザを擁護する者の専門知識を難なく無視し、彼らが個人的に好きなデザインなら何であれ推進する。 http://tc.eserver.org/34845.html http://tc.eserver.org/34845.html Recent scholarship has argued that the concept of profession is undertheorized and accepted uncritically. The authors address this issue by summarizing the characteristics of professions and articulating professions as institutionalized occupations. Their study of a veterinary call center suggests that profession influences the workplace through (a) knowledge providing, seeking, and sharing; (b) self-management of behavior, emotions, and productivity; (c) internal sources of motivation; (d) a service orientation; (e) the invocation of field standards; and (f) participation in a knowledge community beyond the workplace. Although these features may be distinguishable analytically, they are unified in the experience of work. Moreover, the close match in this case between the service orientations of the profession and of the organization strengthened the workers' commitment and thus the legitimacy of the organization. http://tc.eserver.org/34734.html http://tc.eserver.org/34734.html Professionalism is a word embraced by many, but in all honesty demonstrated by far fewer individuals. Its Latin’s origins come from the word profess which means, “to avow before.” So the question is who are these individuals that believe themselves to be true professionals avowing before? Possibly the answer may be found within the word professional. http://tc.eserver.org/34670.html http://tc.eserver.org/34670.html Most people change jobs more than they change mates. But no matter how many times you do it, looking for a new position can be tricky. http://tc.eserver.org/34641.html http://tc.eserver.org/34641.html The Business Analysis Body of Knowledge is the sum of knowledge within the profession of Business Analysis and reflects what is considered currently accepted practice. As with other professions, the body of knowledge is defined and enhanced by the business analysis professionals who apply it. The BOK describes Business Analysis areas of knowledge, their associated activities and tasks and the skills necessary to be effective in their execution. http://tc.eserver.org/34624.html http://tc.eserver.org/34624.html When it comes to truth, my approach is to be candid and honest in formats that live on the web, which I can update on the fly. But when I’m printing hundreds of copies of a guide, which I know will be pinned up on walls, filed in desk drawers, and laminated for long-term reference, I often lie and don’t mention the bugs, hoping that developers will soon fix them and convert my fiction into truth. http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html Potsus provides twelve tips on how to maintain your mental, spiritual, professional, and physical health in order to ensure you grow and flourish in your career, instead of wither away. http://tc.eserver.org/34341.html http://tc.eserver.org/34341.html Here are some suggestions to make better use of LinkedIn so that your professional network works for you. http://tc.eserver.org/33946.html http://tc.eserver.org/33946.html Creative professionals who can see all angles of a project are the ones who ultimately succeed in the industry. They win awards, get promoted, and make money, but most importantly they develop a reputation for caring about detail, for putting a personal and deliberate effort into making sure all of the tiny things are in place to make the final product perfect. http://tc.eserver.org/33726.html http://tc.eserver.org/33726.html I commented that many tech writers aren't interested in doing more tech writing in their spare time, but might be interested if doing so can help them professionally. In particular, folks coming into the field, either out of school or as career changers, need writing samples for their portfolio to show to prospective employers. http://tc.eserver.org/33579.html http://tc.eserver.org/33579.html Rhetorical categories can and should be developed by scholars of professional writing to identify how values held within professions constrain the ways discourse is interpreted in organizational settings. Empirical research (conducted by the author and others), discourse theory, and pedagogical practice in professional writing strongly suggest that at least three categories of professional writing exist: engineering, administrative, and technical/professional writing. The author demonstrates this claim and distinguishes the characteristics of these three categories. Engineering writing is shown to respond to professional values of scientific objectivity and professional judgment as well as to corporate interests. Administrative writing reflects the locus of decision-making authority and promotes institutional identity. Technical/professional writing aims to accommodate audience needs through complying with professional readability standards. Future research should focus on defining the characteristics of these varieties more precisely. Articulated definitions of these three varieties of professional writing can help scholars and practitioners better understand how discourse is framed and interpreted in organizational settings. http://tc.eserver.org/33557.html http://tc.eserver.org/33557.html This essay describes the authors' efforts to engage disciplinary calls for greater diversity through the construction of an international online community and conference, COMMUNEcation. They describe the commitments and goals of the community and conference, the construction of the COMMUNEcating space, and their encounters with disciplinary, geographically, and linguistically diverse scholars in their mutual exploration of global and organizing practices in their local contexts. The conference contributions and conversations prompted the authors to ask three salient questions around scholarly understandings of the Other and Othering practices of organizing and communicating across the globe—Where is the Other? Who is the Other? and What is the Other? The second half of the essay discusses these questions in detail and concludes with the authors' reflections on creating "spaces inbetween" through technology and an introduction to the multiauthored collaborative essay and conference product from the Scholars of the COMMUNEcation Network that follows. http://tc.eserver.org/33564.html http://tc.eserver.org/33564.html Despite claims for at least the past quarter century of mature professional status for the field of technical communication, studies in the history and sociology of the professions provide criteria that suggest we are not yet truly a profession. This article reviews economic, sociopolitical, and ideological factors that characterize the modern professions and argues that the technical communication field, at best, only partially meets the criteria. The prospects for professional status of technical communication might be improved by developing a critical consciousness of the processes of professionalization and concertedly acting in ways that facilitate those processes. http://tc.eserver.org/33248.html http://tc.eserver.org/33248.html Commitment to ethical professional conduct is expected of every member (voting members, associate members, and student members) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This Code, consisting of 24 imperatives formulated as statements of personal responsibility, identifies the elements of such a commitment. It contains many, but not all, issues professionals are likely to face. http://tc.eserver.org/33249.html http://tc.eserver.org/33249.html The Code of Professional Conduct of the Usability Professionals' Association expresses the profession's recognition of its responsibilities to the public, clients, employers, and colleagues. The Code guides members in the performance of their professional responsibilities and express the basic tenets of ethical and professional conduct. http://tc.eserver.org/32685.html http://tc.eserver.org/32685.html Clearly, our path to certification has been neither fast nor steady. We've spent decades starting from first principles, and trying to construct the argument that we want to be certified. We put effort into trying to decide how to administer certification exams, which was never a good make-vs-buy decision. Our attempts to define a body of knowledge splintered into groups that were unique to certain industries, media, or tools, such as medical writers, Web designers, and FrameMaker experts. Certification was--and still is--an emotionally charged issue; people have felt their livelihoods were threatened. http://tc.eserver.org/32687.html http://tc.eserver.org/32687.html The virtues of certification cannot be ignored, but they are outweighed by the drawbacks: There’s no evidence that employers will value certification; it can be highly subjective; and it requires ongoing renewal, even for experienced practitioners, to avoid diluting its value. The more important task must be to demonstrate our value to employers. Only once they understand our value will certification provide a means to assure employers that they can expect to receive that value. http://tc.eserver.org/32688.html http://tc.eserver.org/32688.html I believe certification of technical communicators is unavoidable, given the current status of related professions and our technological environment. Either the STC develops a certification program, or someone else will do it. http://tc.eserver.org/32509.html http://tc.eserver.org/32509.html Excuses that may be valid in some circumstances are too often used to cover up somebody’s lack of knowledge about modern Web design or development. http://tc.eserver.org/32354.html http://tc.eserver.org/32354.html Today, our collective will to pay attention seems fairly weak. We require advice books to teach us how to avoid distraction. In the not-too-distant future we may even employ new devices to help us overcome the unintended attention deficits created by today’s gadgets. http://tc.eserver.org/32288.html http://tc.eserver.org/32288.html Three experiments that examine communicators' ability to inhibit linguistic bias are reported. Research has shown that communicators use more abstract language (e.g., "Jamie is affectionate" vs. "Jamie kisses Rose") to describe more expected behavior. Recent research has shown that this bias may be overwhelmed by goals to put a "spin" on actions or to manipulate audiences' impressions of actors. Similarly, the present experiments show that people who wish to communicate without bias may often be able to do so. Inhibition occurred when participants selected descriptions from a list of alternatives and when they freely described both expected and unexpected behaviors. However, inhibition failed when participants were asked to freely describe either expected or unexpected behaviors alone. http://tc.eserver.org/32159.html http://tc.eserver.org/32159.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/32127.html http://tc.eserver.org/32127.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/32047.html http://tc.eserver.org/32047.html I've heard several times that the most productive people work on messy environments. I’ve seen at least two cases where this is true. My college dean probably still stacks of paper piled up all over his desk, but manages to keep an entire department running smoothly despite having additional responsibilities as a Jesuit priest. http://tc.eserver.org/32040.html http://tc.eserver.org/32040.html The STC web-based knowledge portal will make accessible both broad and deep information about the practice of technical communication. It is intended to be the first step in defining a body of knowledge (BOK) for technical communication. The draft site map displayed at the 2008 Summit as “the wall” is a way of organizing the domains of knowledge, skills, and concepts necessary for the practice. The final version of the map will be the initial framework for the knowledge portal. http://tc.eserver.org/31643.html http://tc.eserver.org/31643.html Professionalism is a recurrent topic of discussion—formally and informally—among technical communication scholars and practitioners. In the diversity among our programs and approaches to technical communication, the difficult issues surrounding certification in technical communication is a professional goal that major stakeholders have typically considered too complex to be addressed. Increasingly, however, many of these stakeholders agree that we can no longer continue to ignore these complex issues. In an earlier article, I have described twelve issues that must be addressed and tasks that must be undertaken to move the profession towards meaningful certification. In that discussion, I also suggest approaches to begin the work on each of these steps. In this present discussion, I address the first of these steps—codification of the bodies of knowledge through the development of an encyclopedia of technical and professional communication. In order to accomplish this, I describe the categories of knowledge in the field and the editorial and organizational structure of the project. http://tc.eserver.org/31294.html http://tc.eserver.org/31294.html Have you noticed that everyone is a writer these days? Besides all the people who want to publish books, from heads of corporations to bloggers to people who've had tough lives, the digital revolution gives us professionals of every kind issuing their own e-newsletters, vendors deluging us with e-mail messages, and virtually everyone creating web sites and blogs. http://tc.eserver.org/31046.html http://tc.eserver.org/31046.html Because the certification has meaning that is fluid and career or personal goals are always changing, I believe it's up to the individual business analyst professional to decide for themselves if certification is right for them based on these factors. If the certification program means upward mobility in their profession or enables an individual to excel at their current job, then it is probably worth the time and cost to undertake a certification program. But I would caution anyone not to cut corners or to cram for the exam to obtain the certification. If they don't see a certification program as a chance to learn, grow and develop their skills and knowledge, then it's probably not worth the investment. http://tc.eserver.org/30783.html http://tc.eserver.org/30783.html Looks at what it means to be professional as a technical writer, as a teacher, and as a student and explains how to teach professionalism in the classroom. http://tc.eserver.org/30534.html http://tc.eserver.org/30534.html We consider the effects of personal values systems on codes of ethics and how community and professional standards of behavior may reinforce professional codes. We suggest that a professional code of ethics is strengthened and reinforced as it more closely follows this rich history. http://tc.eserver.org/30487.html http://tc.eserver.org/30487.html Responding to the concerns and issues we face, the workshops, panels, papers, discussions, and demonstrations in the Education, Training, and Professional Development Stem share common experiences, uncommon insights, and bold forecasts for the future to enlighten our community of technical communicators. http://tc.eserver.org/30427.html http://tc.eserver.org/30427.html The more integrated a discipline is, the greater the likelihood that the researchers are sharing ideas and the greater the chances are for developing theories and models to support the knowledge base. A fragmented discipline offers few connections between discussions and research. This study of technical communication literature reports and reflects upon the dialogue established among practitioners, researchers, and scholars as theories are built. A continuum--fragmented to integrated--places areas of study in technical communication and offers an interpretation of the field. http://tc.eserver.org/29809.html http://tc.eserver.org/29809.html I'm all for formulaic writing. I love hierarchies and classification. I'm all for measuring content. There is a 'right' way to write content. Sure, it may not be the 'perfect' way, it may not be the way Shakespeare or Joyce would have written it, but it'll do. It'll get results and deliver value. A production line can be set up where this content can be mass produced, tested, and measured. http://tc.eserver.org/29923.html http://tc.eserver.org/29923.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/29451.html http://tc.eserver.org/29451.html The world of usability practitioners is undergoing massive changes. I know because I read it in the New York Times. http://tc.eserver.org/29351.html http://tc.eserver.org/29351.html Scientific and technical writing as a profession has much greater dimensions than many people realize. http://tc.eserver.org/29325.html http://tc.eserver.org/29325.html As Usability people we usually tend to focus on making things easier to use. To allow for good usability and an excellent user experience we integrate user centered design methods and standardized usability processes into our daily work. We are used to doing this; we advocate for it day after day; we even try to persuade our clients and the people around us to do the same because we have a strong belief in it. And without question, making things easier to use is an honorable thing to do, because it generally enhances the overall user experience. However, we as Usability Professionals have the potential to reach beyond! http://tc.eserver.org/29010.html http://tc.eserver.org/29010.html In partial answer to the many questions that have been raised about the definition and location of technical writing programs, a random sample of full-time teachers of professional writing was conducted. The results indicate that those located in English departments do not receive the respect and support they need. Those located in other departments are significantly more satisfied. Some strategies for improving the situation are suggested. http://tc.eserver.org/29073.html http://tc.eserver.org/29073.html If you wish to start an undergraduate professional and technical writing program at a small liberal arts college, you will find good arguments for your project in the educational writings of Sir Francis Bacon. Unlike other Renaissance Humanists, Bacon located the New Learning (what we now call the humanities) within the related contexts of scientific discovery and invention and professional training and development. His treatise, The Advancement of Learning, proposes to draw knowledge from and apply knowledge to the natural and social world. Bacon's curricular ideas can benefit emerging PTW programs in the humanities in three ways: They make a convincing apologia for most English departments and writing programs, wed humanistic education to public service, and provide a rich but practical theoretical framework for program development and administration. http://tc.eserver.org/29144.html http://tc.eserver.org/29144.html Carolyn Miller's oft-cited "Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing," published in 1979, tries to give technical communication faculty more cultural capital in English departments controlled by literature professors. Miller replaces a positivistic emphasis in technical communication pedagogy with rhetoric. She shows how technical knowledge is produced by individual activity and social affirmation and not by objective descriptions of sensory impressions. Her "Rationale" is an attempt to change institutional and discursive structures by persuading literature professors that technical communication can have as much distinction in the academy as literature. http://tc.eserver.org/29024.html http://tc.eserver.org/29024.html Despite claims for at least the past quarter century of mature professional status for the field of technical communication, studies in the history and sociology of the professions provide criteria that suggest we are not yet truly a profession. This article reviews economic, sociopolitical, and ideological factors that characterize the modern professions and argues that the technical communication field, at best, only partially meets the criteria. The prospects for professional status of technical communication might be improved by developing a critical consciousness of the processes of professionalization and concertedly acting in ways that facilitate those processes. http://tc.eserver.org/28975.html http://tc.eserver.org/28975.html Having a specialized usability person is best, but smaller design teams can still benefit when designers do their own user testing and other usability work. http://tc.eserver.org/28918.html http://tc.eserver.org/28918.html Information Architects are often put on the defensive by spears flung by brethren in related disciplines. In taking the accusations seriously and accepting truths within them, Grant Campbell reveals greatest strengths in shallowness, insularity, and being 'relegated' to history. http://tc.eserver.org/28907.html http://tc.eserver.org/28907.html Web design is still a young discipline, and it's generally poorly understood. As the web becomes mainstream, an increasing number of people and organizations want websites--and so more people are involved in commissioning, managing, and designing them. It's not surprising that many of these people aren't familiar with how web design works. Clients, managers, and colleagues often assume that web design is a subset of some other discipline, like advertising, graphic design, or software engineering. This creates a tendency to write it off as a low-value, straightforward process that can be streamlined and automated, like a production line. The result is unhelpful pressure on you, the web designer. You're asked to design faster, using a smaller budget, and without access to key stakeholders--which can make it difficult to maintain your professionalism, leaving everyone unhappy with the final design. The logical conclusion of this perpetual streamlining would be to stop using your judgment altogether, as if you were a piece of off-the-shelf software: a robot. http://tc.eserver.org/27793.html http://tc.eserver.org/27793.html As technical communication becomes more firmly established as a field, those in the discipline of technical communication and those in the profession are finding, sometimes to their surprise, that their interests differ. This difference is reflected in the varying claims to legitimacy made by those in professional practice and those in academia. These claims to legitimacy not only differ, but at times seem to be at odds with one another. http://tc.eserver.org/27257.html http://tc.eserver.org/27257.html Ik heb mij altijd verbaasd hoe partijen als Vignette, Broadvision en Tridion zo veel geld konden verdienen. Ik was niet echt onder de indruk van de software, en tal van implementaties toonde aan dat er vaak problemen mee gemoeid zijn. Het gaat slecht in de markt van de standaard content management systemen. Kees van Mourik van OoipTech legt zijn vinger op de zere wonde en kijkt vooruit. http://tc.eserver.org/26695.html http://tc.eserver.org/26695.html There is a certain need to define the field of technical communication: a definition that we as practicioners and scholars can adapt for different audiences in order to create a clear image. The reasons to create a definition are stronger than the reasoning behind letting our field remain perpetually undefined. http://tc.eserver.org/26672.html http://tc.eserver.org/26672.html As a technical communicator, I am the bridge between those who create ideas and those who use them. Because I recognize that the quality of my services directly affects how well ideas are understood, I am committed to excellence in performance and the highest standards of ethical behavior. http://tc.eserver.org/26642.html http://tc.eserver.org/26642.html Usability's job is to research user behavior and find out what works. Usability should also defend users' rights and fight for simplicity. Both aspects have their place, and it's important to recognize the difference. http://tc.eserver.org/26534.html http://tc.eserver.org/26534.html Four presentations about the roles of programs in the professional, ethical, and research roles of its students and faculty. http://tc.eserver.org/26413.html http://tc.eserver.org/26413.html In this economic situation, it is imperative that computer science students are well prepared before entering the work force; new graduates must understand what skills the IT industry is seeking. http://tc.eserver.org/26404.html http://tc.eserver.org/26404.html User-centered design is being systematically integrated into the Web, application and product development process. It's the tipping point usability specialists have been waiting for. But are we ready? Does the field have the tools, and resources -- or for that matter the people -- to keep up with the need? http://tc.eserver.org/26171.html http://tc.eserver.org/26171.html If it is your first time dealing with typesetting foreign language business cards, you may start out thinking it is a simple task. So did we. Later we learned that without proper preparation and accessible information, it can turn out to be a very time consuming job with changes and changes following initial layout and translation. After many trials and errors, we have summarized the lessons we learned here for you. http://tc.eserver.org/25528.html http://tc.eserver.org/25528.html It's ironic that, as professionals dedicated to clear communication, information architects and user interface designers are having such trouble communicating with each other. Information designer George Olsen digs up the roots of communication breakdown and explores the three aspects of web design. http://tc.eserver.org/25301.html http://tc.eserver.org/25301.html Once you discover or identify work that you can be passionate about, use that as both a driving force and as a method of developing your place within the profession. http://tc.eserver.org/25143.html http://tc.eserver.org/25143.html We must understand that if we graduate engineering students who have a full complement of communication skills, we will better prepare them to be more effective professionals as well as highly valued citizens. Clear communcation and clear thinking are mutually reinforcing. Together they are a powerful combination that will serve well the individual, our nation and world in the exciting years ahead. http://tc.eserver.org/25069.html http://tc.eserver.org/25069.html I’m not used to writing editorials, but lately I’ve heard complaints from more than a few usability professionals about reviews of their work that were snide, hostile, and lacking in reasonable suggestions and this has moved me to speak out. These complaints deal with a primary activity of our profession: constructive criticism. We are often asked to uncover potential problems with products and processes and recommend design changes that could improve usability – using a tone that is firm and constructive. We are also asked to provide feedback to our usability colleagues in book, proposal, and presentation reviews. I have become concerned that feedback among usability professionals is not always as constructive as the feedback we routinely present to our clients. With the recent introduction of the UPA Code of Conduct, hostile reviews of the work of colleagues could be considered an ethical violation. More about that later. http://tc.eserver.org/24583.html http://tc.eserver.org/24583.html Professional communication is a growing component of English departments and other communication programs. Yet, in most cases, the term professional communication is used as a catchall term for various types of workplace and occupational writing. As such,professional communication, as it is currently framed, seems to have little to do with professionalsor the process of professionalization. This article calls for a more thoroughexamination of the concept of professional communication by reviewing (1) the ways inwhich researchers have used this term to describe the rhetoric of professionals who communicate,(2) the democratic and knowledge-based contradictions between rhetoricalscholarship and professional powers, and (3) the current challenges facing professionalworkers, including deprofessionalization and proletarianization. The author argues thatif professional communication research and teaching are to remain prominent parts ofacademic programs, researchers, theorists, teachers, and students must become moreaware of conceptual issues that inform and define professional work. http://tc.eserver.org/24536.html http://tc.eserver.org/24536.html Instruction in the technical and scientific disciplines gives students the technical skills necessary to succeed in industry. However, these disciplines also focus on socializing students into professional identities. This study examines one exemplar discipline, mechanical engineering, to see how classroom discourse and practice constructs professional identities for students (as future engineers) and their customers. Results suggest that although students' conceptions of the customer provided glimpses of professional identity, design processes in these classrooms were ultimately driven and shaped by academic communicative practices, audiences, and goals. Given this, instructional interventions are provided to integrate professionalization processes within classrooms where situated learning is apparent. http://tc.eserver.org/24347.html http://tc.eserver.org/24347.html Under the direction of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) developed a list of key competencies. These competencies assure that students productively use resources, information, interpersonal skills, systems, and technology. The Commission also identified foundation skills focusing on basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities. Trends in labor, trends for technical communicators, and a description of skills set the stage for the development of the new Technical Communications curriculum at De Anza College, which now incorporates the skills industry demands. http://tc.eserver.org/24191.html http://tc.eserver.org/24191.html Technical communication is a broad field—its practitioners perform many different tasks in many different industries. Technical communicators may write technical documents, design multimedia presentations, create Web pages, or illustrate mechanical designs. And they may perform these tasks in industries such as aerospace, biotech, computer software, or agribusiness. To effectively network with your peers, you need to find your communities of practice. http://tc.eserver.org/23880.html http://tc.eserver.org/23880.html Companies are reducing their training budgets. During these austere times, the technical writer must get more creative than ever to participate in the annual conference. An informal survey of attendees at the 50th Annual Conference in Dallas showed that many people paid their own way to the conference. There are numerous ways to reduce the cost to attend the conference. http://tc.eserver.org/23871.html http://tc.eserver.org/23871.html Defining information architecture is a reccuring theme in all IA forums, and frequently leads to re-naming efforts as well, from information therapist to experience designer. This page is dedicated to that ongoing struggle. http://tc.eserver.org/23881.html http://tc.eserver.org/23881.html The message about usability is reaching general audiences. However, sometimes the message is garbled and sometimes it is overlooked entirely. http://tc.eserver.org/23724.html http://tc.eserver.org/23724.html If you're an aspiring technical communicator or currently working in the field, you may find the following professional associations helpful. http://tc.eserver.org/23450.html http://tc.eserver.org/23450.html There are core competencies and enabling competencies. The competency areas are Core Competencies, which distinguish a particular field from other fields. Enabling Competencies do not distinguish the field but are still required for its success. http://tc.eserver.org/23402.html http://tc.eserver.org/23402.html Assuming that not everybody knows the INTECOM Code of Good Practice, we use this opportunity to publish it in this and following issues of TC-FORUM. http://tc.eserver.org/23417.html http://tc.eserver.org/23417.html All over the world professional organizations advertise the technical communication profession. My personal impression is this: Many of these activities address students of higher schools (which is basically fine), while others address professionals already working in the field (which only makes sense if the objective is to sell memberships or training). What I have not seen up to now are activities to address young people in the early process of planning their higher education and professional careers. The following thoughts contain some ideas for those trying to make our profession known to young people and to encourage them to consider a career in technical communication. http://tc.eserver.org/23451.html http://tc.eserver.org/23451.html We all know that products are designed and developed by a variety of experts, such as engineers, programmers, scientists, and designers. And each of these experts belongs to a particular category. For example, engineers are divided into such categories as Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, or Aeronautical Engineer. Without that categorisation, there is no way that we can possibly know in what field a particular expert specialises. But who creates product documentation? http://tc.eserver.org/23047.html http://tc.eserver.org/23047.html I know lots of usability advocates who speak the language of business quite fluently. Could we get better? Sure. But on the whole, we are the solution, not the problem. Let's not weaken our ranks with friendly fire. We have plenty of real enemies to keep us busy. http://tc.eserver.org/22892.html http://tc.eserver.org/22892.html The Professional Development stem provides sessions on how to grow your 'on-the-job' and.'off-the-job' skills as technical communicators. We control our professional growth and development by continuous learning in and away from our workplaces. The Professional Development sessions during this conference will stimulate new and challenging ideas. http://tc.eserver.org/22887.html http://tc.eserver.org/22887.html This progression is sponsored by the STC Quality Professional Interest Committee. Each subgroup within the Quality PIC is sponsoring a discussion table, with additional topics of special interest to technical communicators. These topics have been selected based on their timeliness and practical value to practicing technical communicators. http://tc.eserver.org/22492.html http://tc.eserver.org/22492.html As a champion of creativity, quality and a strong sense of community, AIGA is a valuable resource for designers seeking support for the work we do. Professional Practices focuses on important issues designers face daily, from the pragmatic matters of management to the pursuit of design excellence and integrity. Sometimes our work can be magical, other times our work can be mundane, and on any given day we believe this forum is the place to seek best practices, share success stories, and address the challenges of our profession. http://tc.eserver.org/22483.html http://tc.eserver.org/22483.html The efforts to define our field and our role are understandable by-products of our economic times and of forces in our contexts of practice. What are the pressures behind this quest for definition? What are the options (and potential advantages) of refusing to pigeonhole ourselves? http://tc.eserver.org/22292.html http://tc.eserver.org/22292.html In my work as a web designer/IA I have come across many inconsistencies in the way IA's and other Web professionals refer to Web information architecture deliverables. In speaking with various Web design companies I have come across multiple terms for the same deliverables. Information architecture is a relatively new field which has yet to develop a consistent and universal set of deliverables, and terminology to refer to those deliverables. I also haven't come across a central repository of IA deliverables. This document is an attempt to fill that void. http://tc.eserver.org/22037.html http://tc.eserver.org/22037.html It’s simple…Don’t lie! Don’t embellish! It’s not only unethical, but eventually you’ll get caught. You may get away with it for a time, but it will catch up with you. Whether technical skills, training, or particular accomplishments, keep it honest. It’ll work better for you. http://tc.eserver.org/21890.html http://tc.eserver.org/21890.html Technical communication as a profession should have some mechanism for identifying and validating the work that its professionals do. In many countries in Europe, professional societies have made some progress in this direction. http://tc.eserver.org/21874.html http://tc.eserver.org/21874.html Many professional societies have developed their own Code of Conduct. Given the high profile lapses in professional conduct and the evolving of the usability profession is it time for us to adopt a code? http://tc.eserver.org/21589.html http://tc.eserver.org/21589.html To improve the standards of technical communication throughout the world, INTECOM has approved this code of good practice as a guideline for the professional technical communicator in his or her daily, highly important task. http://tc.eserver.org/21512.html http://tc.eserver.org/21512.html 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. http://tc.eserver.org/21423.html http://tc.eserver.org/21423.html It's time interface designers, or whatever we're calling ourselves, get some respect. After 25 years of whining about it, I've finally realized we have only ourselves to blame. Take control. If you look at nothing else of mine this year, please read this, act on it, and pass it on. http://tc.eserver.org/21372.html http://tc.eserver.org/21372.html Discussions of how we should label ourselves and define our work are like flu epidemics. They break out from time to time, follow a fairly predictable course, and often make us want to barf. http://tc.eserver.org/21306.html http://tc.eserver.org/21306.html Defining the audience for Boxes and Arrows sparked the same heated discussion as the community-at-large about what exactly do we call ourselves? http://tc.eserver.org/20927.html http://tc.eserver.org/20927.html In defining a field, each person seems to look at the world and place themselves in the center of the circle, giving their specialty top billing as the summation of all the others. What exactly is gained by this political one-upmanship? In the face of this inflation, I find myself pulling back to the simplest craft title I can find. Or avoiding titles altogether. http://tc.eserver.org/20877.html http://tc.eserver.org/20877.html Information architecture has a great deal to do with traditional architecture—especially in the ability of each discipline to plan and connect various important elements together. http://tc.eserver.org/20680.html http://tc.eserver.org/20680.html The more I think about certifications and the issue of 'specialist vs. generalist' I just have to wonder if it would be better to just get a bag of shiny new dice and start rolling one's own. http://tc.eserver.org/20637.html http://tc.eserver.org/20637.html The future of Technical Communication is something that we are all, as either practitioners, academics or students, keenly interested in. What is the future of our chosen discipline? What exactly is it that a practitioner in the field does today? This paper will explain that through examining one sub-discipline of Technical Communication, Usability, we may see an example of the beginnings of a pattern of professional development. http://tc.eserver.org/20586.html http://tc.eserver.org/20586.html There's been a lot of chatter recently on one of the Yahoo Groups I belong to revolving around the issue of 'we get no respect.' A few people seem to have spent so much time commiserating about their lack of respect, you'd have to wonder just how they get any actual work done. The discussions on this not-so-new theme topic began as a response to Bruce Tognazzini's recent article entitled 'It's Time We Got Respect.' For those of you who are not so flush with unbillable hours to have had time to participate in this lively debate, I'll provide you some background and then get to the heart of the issue I think we, as usability professionals, need to further examine. http://tc.eserver.org/20246.html http://tc.eserver.org/20246.html Technical Authors do not have high prominence in the workplace, and they don't have the best of images (as can be seen by the movie 'The Technical Writer'). Today, there are a number of Technical Authors struggling to find new employment in the current IT sector, and one can find messages on Internet newsgroups questioning the future employment prospects for Technical Authors in North America and Europe. Some wonder whether the role of the Technical Author will disappear, like other careers have in the past. In this article we look at the problems faced by Technical Authors in defining their role, and make some recommendations for the future. http://tc.eserver.org/20251.html http://tc.eserver.org/20251.html Those who 'get' the web create it. Those who do not get the web are put in charge. Joe Clark presents a vision for defending our web against their worst ideas. http://tc.eserver.org/19847.html http://tc.eserver.org/19847.html The Chicago Chapter STC Institute for Professional Development (IPD) is a good example of how STC chapters can help bridge the gap between theory and practice by partnering with colleges and universities to offer credit courses for those with little or no experience or prior course work in technical communication. Such partnerships help the local STC chapters by enhancing awareness of our profession in their geographic areas (and building STC membership and involvement), by serving the educational needs of its newer members, and by providing teaching and mentoring opportunities for its more experienced members. Above all, by bringing together teachers, researchers, and practitioners of technical communication to design, plan, and implement courses, the Chicago IPD models the very type of teamwork that has become essential for success in today’s world. http://tc.eserver.org/19833.html http://tc.eserver.org/19833.html Education, training, and professional development remain central interests of the Society. In this program stem, more than thirty high-quality sessions emphasize four areas of continuing interest to educators, trainers, students, and other professionals. http://tc.eserver.org/19863.html http://tc.eserver.org/19863.html Our field is young, yet great books and great ideas by technical communication gurus abound. How many of us, though, are steeped in these works? How many of us can intelligently discuss the great ideas and latest research? If new STC members ask us which authors constitute the foundation of our field, can we tell them? If so, have we read them cover to cover? Can we discuss ideas more? This paper presents the professional development programs that two STC members began in the fall of 1999. After realizing that their programs might be of interest to others, they formed a SIG called Idea Watch. In addition, they have informally polled numerous gurus and drawn up a list of “essential books.” This list is presented at the conclusion of this paper. http://tc.eserver.org/19143.html http://tc.eserver.org/19143.html The ACM community is in a position to take a leadership role in responding to the challenges brought by last fall’s terror attacks. Some of us have already been contacted to contribute to designs for improving security at airports, verifying identity at check-in, or redesigning cockpits to give more options to pilots and ground controllers. Others will be asked to redesign systems that trace financial transactions across international borders or examine email patterns among loosely affiliated groups. These efforts win the broadest support when our decisions about how to pursue safety and security are coupled with a strong defense of civil liberties and privacy. http://tc.eserver.org/18933.html http://tc.eserver.org/18933.html Take any combination of the projects below and use them to generate data for a comprehensive report on the Language and Culture of your field. You will find one sample of such a document in the Models and Templates section of the web site. Study it closely, as it is a strong example of how such a report can be written. http://tc.eserver.org/18749.html http://tc.eserver.org/18749.html Studies have shown organisations value the following benefits: overall organisation, the sales team, and documentation meets the customer's requirements. http://tc.eserver.org/18503.html http://tc.eserver.org/18503.html The Institute of Localisation Professionals (TILP) has the primary aim of developing professional practices in localisation globally. TILP is a non-profit organisation, owned by its members and lead by a Council elected at its Annual General Meeting. http://tc.eserver.org/18356.html http://tc.eserver.org/18356.html Management of technical communication is a very broad field, consisting of everything from self-management to managing an entire department or cross-functional team. Though the field of management is generally the same in all occupations, managers in technical communication deal with slightly more technical material than those in business. My research has led me to view management of technical communication in terms of small, medium, and large-scale managerial job functions. http://tc.eserver.org/18244.html http://tc.eserver.org/18244.html Technical writers are made up of complex individual personae. As a writer, you are expected to have knowledge of your subject. The more subjects you write about, the more knowledge you gain. (Supposedly.) Not every writer is like that, but most are, and they deserve to be congratulated for going the extra mile and actually learning a product they are going to write about. Most writers maintain knowledge about many systems and subjects, thus becoming an 'expert' in the technical writing field. http://tc.eserver.org/18202.html http://tc.eserver.org/18202.html This panel/discussion takes shape as the audience molds it. Each panelist is a past STC chapter president and has managed to successfully run the “Marathon of Chapter Presidency.” The past-presidents panel comprises a fellow, an associate fellow, a director sponsor, senior members, committee managers, and other leaders of the society. Issues are audience-dependent but may include topics such as handling volunteers, managing money recruiting members, and so forth. Join this informal discussion to share ideas, quandaries, and solutions for successfully leading a chapter. http://tc.eserver.org/14911.html http://tc.eserver.org/14911.html To the ongoing question over whether the status or role of the technical communicator is to be considered as that of a 'professional' versus a 'practitioner'. If the answer to this question is an unequivocal 'yes' then how do we as aspiring technical communicators position ourselves in the field to overcome this kind of prejudice and narrow-mindedness? Are there skills and theories that are important to learn or at least be aware of that will not only help foster respect for the field of technical communication as a recognized profession but also aid in distancing ourselves from being labeled mere practitioners? http://tc.eserver.org/14910.html http://tc.eserver.org/14910.html To meet the challenge of addressing the needs of subject matter experts (SME) and non-experts, alleviating fears, and keeping the public informed requires knowledge of communication theory, subject-matter expertise, and adherence to a code of ethics. A model illustrating the professional technical communicator's knowledge base and relationship with the SME and non-expert is presented. http://tc.eserver.org/13268.html http://tc.eserver.org/13268.html The hardest part of being a professional web designer is telling people what I do for a living. The range of comments I get runs from dismissal of the web as a fad, to the ever popular, 'My fifth-grade son has his own website.' The main reason that job titles like Web GUI Designer or Web Creative get bandied about in the media and professional circles is that the term web designer carries about as much respect as paper boy in today's society. http://tc.eserver.org/11847.html http://tc.eserver.org/11847.html As professionals in the communications arts we know that people work better if they have clear expectations of equitable treatment. In order to promote fair standards and encourage professional working relationships, the Technical Writers Trade Group of the National Writers Union presents the following Code of Professional Practice for technical writers in the hardware and software industries. http://tc.eserver.org/10425.html http://tc.eserver.org/10425.html This article examines the implications of greater professionalism for the future directions of technical communication and the role of academic programs and professional societies in shaping the future of the profession.