Transitioning Your Career From Technical Writer to

Technical Communicator

Theresa PutkeyKey PointeTechnical Communication

Information Architecture

Defining it

Technical WriterStereotypical image is someone who sits at a desk, writes up procedures, introductions, documents software, errors and all. Groans about software errors but documents them anyway.

Interaction DesignerWith respect to information, someone who figures how to display information so people can interact with it, find it, search it, use it.

Instructional Designer

eLearning

Content Management

Single sourcing

Training

ProgrammerManager

Indexer

Technology Guru Technical CommunicatorSomeone whose main role is technical documentation but who also behaves as a user advocate: correcting problems, suggesting redesigns, gathering business rules and requirements, handling large amounts of information

Information Architect:“Experiential problem definition and solving with a healthy dose of empathy” Jess McMullen;

An information strategist figuring out how to best organize information in complex systems

Motivation

• You can either choose to be the stereotypical technical writer, “Have baggage, will travel” or you can break out of this mould and expand your sphere of influence and understanding.

Motivation

• To stay employable, you must keep up with fast moving ideas, technology, workplaces.

Do informational

interviews

Take a class, network,

moonlight

Get your foot in the door

Get a mentor

Build relationships

Just do it

Ask and don’ttake NO for an

answer

How toDO these

things

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/using-technical

Resumes

• Chronological

• Functional

• Consultant

Resources

Using Technical Communication Skills in User Experience (me!)

A “Way Last Resort”? By Molly Malsam

What's to Become of the Tech Pubs…? by Bob Boiko (STC members only)

The Top 10 Mistakes People Make When Looking for Work by Jack Molisani

Technical Communication February 2007

IAInstitute.org

CMprofessionals.org

UPAssoc.org

Maadmob.com.au

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Find examples of people in your field that you admire and find out more about them

Job Descriptions:Parallels and Differences

Parallel

User Experience Engineer: • Your passion about

customer experience will provide an excellent foundation for this position.

• Be a strong and vocal user advocate

• Work effectively in cross-functional projects that may span across divisions

Tech Comm Responses• ??

• ??

• ??

Difference

User Experience Engineer:• Variety of methodologies

including usability lab studies, site visits, rapid/iterative testing, focus

groups, surveys

Gaining Experience :• Ask your UX person to take

you along for a lab study, site visit, etc.

• Take part in some QA rapid or iterative testing, then apply it to UI design testing (worth a try)

• Apparently surveys are an art form of their own.

• Focus groups are apparently overrated and expensive to arrange

Parallel

Web User Experience Analyst

• The Analyst is integral in helping the team concept, scope, and document effective, innovative and usable Internet solutions.

• Diagram navigation flows; research competitors; and document business, functional, and technical requirements

Tech Comm Responses

• ?

• ?

Difference

Web User Experience Analyst:

• Facilitate workshops with the client

• Educates internal and external clients in all matters related to user-centered design

Gaining Experience:• Tag along with a manager or

sales person, or facilitate your own (internal) workshop. Put together a training session on something.

• You’ve certainly educated internal clients. External? Take a public speaking course, get people to give you objections and try to give great, non-defensive responses.

Parallel

Information Architect• Collaborate with

instructional and graphic designers, authors, technical writers and project managers

• Analyze and design content for ease of use and reuse; Create information models, including systems for structuring metadata, to enable reuse strategies

Tech Comm Responses• ?

• ?

Difference

Information Architect:• Work with customers to help

determine their business needs and develop information strategies that meet the needs of the business, their customers, and employees.

Gaining Experience:• Can you do this at your current

company? If not, is there a really bad website you can revamp, using the public (your friends) as customers?

Parallel

Information Architect• Demonstrated ability to

structure content in large information sets.

• Formal training in Needs Analysis, Task Analysis, Instructional Design, Information Design, User Interface, or equivalent experience.

• Working knowledge of Content Management tools and technologies, XML, DITA, and structured authoring.

Tech Comm Responses• ?

• ?

• ?

Difference

Information Architect:• Design an Information

Architecture approach and make recommendations for tool and interface requirements for client project

Gaining Experience:• Go through an IA process on

your own (content inventory, analysis, card sort).

• Get comfortable with different technologies.

• You’ve done this as a tech communicator, you just need to expand.