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It makes sense that when you’re writing a technical document that you need to get the facts right. If the user can’t use the handbook or manual, that can spell trouble and it can be dangerous. But does the writing matter at all? Other blogs have already talked about this topic and it seems that the discussion is one without a clear answer.
Just the Facts, Ma’am?
What’s interesting about the quote, ‘Just the facts,’ is that Joe actually didn’t ever utter it as Friday on Dragnet. But it’s been repeated enough in popular culture that everyone assumes that he said it. He didn’t.
What does this have to do with technical writing? When you’re creating a document, you need to focus on the facts first, to be certain. But when your writing isn’t accurate, that can mangle the facts and cause a reader to interpret what you’re writing in a different way than you meant.
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With all of the professional organizations out there, why would anyone want to join another? They cost money, they take up time, and, often, they present few rewards to technical writers. Until, now, that is. The American Medical Writers Association offers memberships to students and to medical writers, helping everyone stay connected and up to date on current medical writing practices.
Perhaps this is a membership with rewards.
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It’s September, and you need to start brushing up on your technical writing skills. Time for you to head to class – but without recess or a snack.
What are your company’s assets? That’s the question this free webinar wants to answer this question for technical writers and teams. If you’re already using Lingo, or you want to learn more, why not use a free webinar to help you dive in?
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Editor’s Note: This was the feature article in this month’s TechCom Manager newsletter, reprinted here with permission. Click the previous link to subscribe to the newsletter.
Kerri Barber
Jobs, jobs, jobs! The headlines are everywhere and seem to be the core topic on everyone’s mind. If you are a manger who is lucky enough to add to your staff, you may feel like a pageant winner right about now. Once the celebrating subsides, you are left with a tough decision to make. Exactly what kind of employee are you looking to hire?
There are certain characteristics inherent to every candidate search, but none is more influential than total cost versus overall experience ratio. You may be thinking that now is the time to get a great deal on valuable talent. In many instances, you may be right. But ask yourself this: Has the job market really become a mirror image of the current housing market? Are there some great MBA candidates and stellar employees available at a reduced salary band? Yes and no. All things being relative, you will still have to weigh your options according to your needs and take a leap of faith. However, there are some surprising data points emerging from our current economic conditions as well as a few key ideas to consider before you begin searching for your next team member.
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Joseph Chapline, 91, died peacefully Monday, August 8, 2011 – the first noted technical writer. In 1949, he wrote the user’s manual for the BINAC computer, making him an innovator in the field, paving the way for new writers looking for work.
Before that time, there wasn’t a great need for technical writers because there weren’t technologies available for people to use. Chapline helped to develop the Binac and Eniac systems, which meant he needed user manuals to help those who wanted to use them too. After creating a large manual on the Eniac system, he realized the value of passing on his knowledge of the process.
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Users are the main concern when it comes to technical writing. Beyond words, beyond formatting, and beyond details, technical writers should be thinking about the end user. If you’re not worried about the user when writing, then you can’t write effectively or create a document that can be used consistently.
Adobe Systems is offering an e-seminar to help technical writers and technical writing teams with conveying information to users. Read on to find out how this seminar will help you.
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MIT’s OpenCourseWare is an online catalog of course materials designed to help those who may never get a chance to enroll at school of MIT’s caliber. With free access to past class materials, students (and those who wish to become students again) gain access to past class syllabi, lectures, and more.
Technical communication in the medical and public health field is in high demand today, and in the Spring of 2007, MIT offered an undergraduate course for those who wanted to learn more – Introduction to Technical Communication: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health. The courseware from that class is available for free through the MIT OpenCourseWare program (some textbooks require a purchase).
The course description reads:
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No matter what you may be paid as a technical writer, one thing is clear: technical writing is a valuable skill for the hiring company.
When a writer is able to lay out complicated information in a user-friendly way, not only are those using the information better served, but there are financial benefits as well.
Imagine having an outline for how one might follow a complicated procedure in a medical facility. With a technical document in place, there are clear understandings about what equipment is to be used, when it is to be used, and how it is to be used. If an entire medical system follows the directions, there is a reduced chance of wasted supplies and labor.
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Technical communicators may face changes within their companies that will either require them to start creating marketing materials or face changes in the job market that make transitioning to marketing communications seem to make financial sense. Some technical writers may even want to make the transition voluntarily in order to explore other types of writing in their career. Being able to pitch in and do double duty in both the engineering and marketing groups can also increase a writer’s value to the company, perhaps providing a little extra job security.
But hitting the F5 key to refresh your career and changing your mind set to develop materials that persuade after many years of developing materials that instruct can seem a bit daunting. This article by Christy Simard takes a look at how technical writers can successfully transition to the marketing side of the house by looking at the similarities and differences between technical communications and marketing communications.
Read: Making the Transition from Techcom to Marcom
Technical writers, as a group, communicate extremely well. They’re also used to working with diverse groups and negotiating to achieve their objectives to keep everyone satisfied and projects on schedule. So, it would seem, technical communicators such as technical writers would make very good managerial candidates.
However, as is often obvious only after the fact, not everyone is suited for management. Some perform better as individual contributors while others are great mentors. In fact, most organizations don’t really consider the difference between (more…)
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