Idea Watch: A New Approach for your Professional Development  

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.

Hansen, Heidi and Jennifer Square. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Education>Professionalism

Inconsistencies in Information Architecture Deliverables

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.

Doss, Glen. GDoss.com. Design>Information Design>Professionalism

Information Architecture: A Rose by Any Other Name...

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?

Stott, Lynn. Boxes and Arrows (2004). Careers>Information Design>Professionalism

The Institute of Localization Professionals

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.

TILP. Organizations>Language>Localization>Professionalism

INTECOM Code of Good Practice

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.

TC-FORUM (2000). Resources>TC>Professionalism

INTECOM's Code of Good Practice

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.

INTECOM (2003). Articles>TC>Standards>Professionalism

Introduction: Four Carrots and a Stick  

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.

Dowell, Earl H. LLAD (1999). Careers>Collaboration>Professionalism>Engineering

Is Messiness Conducive to Productivity?

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.

Contract Worker (2008). Articles>Management>Professionalism

Learning to Be Professional: Technical Classroom Discourse, Practice, and Professional Identity Construction    

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.

Dannels, Deanna P. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (1999). Articles>Education>Professionalism

Legitimizing Technical Communication in English Departments: Carolyn Miller's "Humanistic Rationale For Technical Writing"    

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.

Moore, Patrick. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2006). Academic>Education>TC>Professionalism

The Marathon of Chapter Presidency  

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.

Oestreich, Linda L., Mark Hanigan, Richard Julius, Patricia J. McClelland and Carolyn L. Watt. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Management>Professionalism>STC

Moving In from the Periphery: Exploring the Disciplinary Labyrinth

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.

Eyman, Douglas. Michigan State University (2004). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Necessary Skills for Technical Communicators  

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.

Dowdney, Donna Lee. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Networking With Our Peers  

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.

Grice, Roger A. Intercom (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Professionalism

(Not) Defining the Damn Thing

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.

Rosenfeld, Louis. Boxes and Arrows (2003). Articles>Information Design>Professionalism

On Advertising our Profession

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.

Schilliger, Reto. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Personal Values and Professional Ethics  

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.

Stoner, Russell B. and Ann Marie LaBara. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Ethics>Professionalism

The Process and Prospects for Professionalizing Technical Communication    

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.

Savage, Gerald J. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (1999). Careers>TC>Professionalism

Professional Development Overview  

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.

Caruso, Anthony. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>Education>Professionalism

Professional Identities: What Is Professional about Professional Communication?    

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.

Faber, Brenton D. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Professional Resources

If you're an aspiring technical communicator or currently working in the field, you may find the following professional associations helpful.

Technical Communicators Resource Site (2004). Resources>Directories>Professionalism

Professional Title and Association du Jour

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.

Usability Professionals Association (2003). Careers>Usability>Professionalism

Professional versus Practitioner: Making the Case for Theory

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?

Hubbard, Susan. Orange Journal, The (2002). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Programmatic Roles in Research, Professional Development, and Ethical Responsibility

Four presentations about the roles of programs in the professional, ethical, and research roles of its students and faculty.

Farkas, David K., Jennifer L. Bowie, Kenneth T. Rainey and W.J. Williamson. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Education>Professionalism

Qualification or Certification for Technical Communicators

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.

Rainey, Kenneth T. TC-FORUM (2001). Careers>Certification>Professionalism