Kimberly Kneas

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(No Transcript)
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Myths of Technical Professional Communication
Kimberly Kneas English 6715 Southard
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WELCOME

• This presentation is for those of us considering
  a field in technical and professional
  communication. The goal is to address some of
  the misconceptions that exist about this field.

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Why are there misconceptions about technical and
professional communication?

• Obtaining accurate information about careers in
  technical communication is challenging since the
  job descriptionseven the job titlesvary greatly
  depending on the industry and the company.
• Most people do not know what types of jobs
  technical writers do, nor do they know the
  knowledge and skills required to work within the
  field.

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• As a result, much confusion and ambiguity has
  developed into several myths about professions in
  technical and professional communication.

Before we explore some of these myths, lets
first define what a technical communicator is.
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What is a technical communicator?

• A technical communicator applies communication
  that makes technical information accessible to
  readers, viewers, listeners, and/or users.
• Technical communication is applied communication
  that is designed to accomplish specific tasks or
  to help the audience solve specific problems.

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MYTHA technical writer can only work for
computer companies.

• TRUTH
• Many different types of companies need the
• skills of technical communicators. One technical
  writers job search yielded responses from

advertising agencies, universities,
manufacturing conglomerates, industrial plants,
contracting agencies, financial institutions, the
local, state, and federal government, nonprofit
organizations, engineering societies, magazines
and newspapers, and hospitals (38).
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MYTHAll technical writers have the same job of
writing manuals.

• TRUTH
• Technical writers are not limited to the same
  types of projects the duties performed by
  technical writers depends on the needs of the
  specific company. In addition to writing
  software/hardware manuals, technical writers also
  write

instruction manuals for products, services, and
processes online help text for webpages
advertising items such as pamphlets, brochures,
and newsletters newspapers and magazine
articles, and so much more (36).
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MYTHTechnical writers sit in front of a
computer all day long with no interaction with
others.

• TRUTH
• Most technical communicators rely heavily on
  interaction with co-workers and clients.
• They often conduct interviews and meetings with
  colleagues and clients who provide the technical
  content that the writer must make usable.
• Relationships with colleagues are just as
  important if youre a technical writer because
  people who like you and respect you are far more
  willing to make time to answer your questions and
  review your writing (71).

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MYTHIf you have a degree of or relating to
technical writing, you will be completely
prepared for your job.

• TRUTH
• What is learned in the classroom should be a
  guide for the workplace, but this education
  should be adapted to the requirements of your
  specific job.
• An education in technical communication should
  provide you with a foundation for the principles
  of technical writers, but these should be applied
  to the demands of the job and its supervisors.
• Many technical writers feel ill-equipped when
  they enter into their first job, but they need
  only be persistent in asking questions until they
  understand the industry and the content about
  which they are writing.

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MYTHTechnical communicators must be technically
oriented with a strong technical background.

• TRUTH
• Technical communicators do not need to produce or
  know technical information instead, they take
  the technical information provided to them and
  make it usable.
• Many technical writers struggle to understand the
  information they are writing about, and their
  understanding comes largely from asking questions
  of those producing the technical information.
• Some argue that it is easier to produce
  user-friendly documentation if the writer himself
  must go through the learning process like the
  end user.

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MYTHTechnical communicating does not require
any creativity.

• TRUTH
• Effective technical communication relies heavily
  on the creativity of the communicator.
• A large amount of creativity is required by the
  fundamental principle of technical communication
  presenting technical content in an interesting
  and usable format that is easily understood by
  the user.
• Graphics are essential to documentation because
  they reinforce and enhance the information that
  is presented. Selecting and designing those
  graphics requires a large amount of creativity.
• Certain assignments and projects will require
  creativity, such as advertising items,
  newsletters, newspapers and magazine articles,
  and much more.

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CONCLUSION

• The truths of the profession indicate that
  technical communication is not easily
  categorized, allowing unlimited possibilities
  regarding the type of jobs and duties performed.

• As the previous myths indicate, technical
  writing is a field which is largely
  misunderstood.

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WORKS CITED

• Barber, Thomas T. Writing Software
  Documentation A Task-Oriented Approach.
  Allyn Bacon, 1998.
• Savage, Gerald J. Writing a Professional Life
  Stories of Technical Communicators On and Off
  the Job. Allyn Bacon, 2001.