seven traits of successful technical communicators

Past-Presidents’ Panel 2015

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Hiring Excellence:Seven Habits of Highly Successful Technical Communicators

Past-Presidents’ PanelMay 26, 2015


stctoronto.orgPanelists

• Carolyn Watt (1990’s)– STC Associate Fellow and former STC Board Member– President of Carolyn Watt & Associates Inc.

• Rob Hanna (2005-2007)– STC Fellow and former STC Board Member– President of Precision Content Authoring Solutions Inc

• Bernard Aschwanden (2007-2009)– Incoming President of the STC– President of Publishing Smarter

• Anna Parker-Richards (2009-2011)– STC Associate Fellow– Co-founder of COMM4RESULTS.COM


stctoronto.orgAbout this Presentation

• Presented to the STC Conference in 2006 in Las Vegas

• Panel co-presenters/co-authors:– Amber Swope – IBM– Lisa Swallow – Mentor Graphics– Rob Frankland – Sock Monkey– Rob Hanna – ASCan Enterprises– Visnja Beg – IBM

• Other presentations to local STC chapters


stctoronto.orgPresentation Overview

• Introduction

• Seven Traits

• Ethical Conduct

• Technical Skills

• Hiring Trends

• Supporting the Profession

• Q&A


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What is a technical communicator?Definitions


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• Technical writers put technical information into easily understandable language. They prepare operating and maintenance manuals, catalogues, parts lists, assembly instructions, sales promotion materials, and project proposals. Many technical writers work with engineers on technical subject matters to prepare written interpretations of engineering and design specifications and other information for a general readership. Technical writers also may serve as part of a team conducting usability studies to help improve the design of a product that still is in the prototype stage. They plan and edit technical materials and oversee the preparation of illustrations, photographs, diagrams, and charts.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Technical Writers


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• Develop and design instructional and informational tools needed to assure safe, appropriate and effective use of science and technology, intellectual property, and manufactured products and services. Combines multi-media knowledge and strong communication skills with technical expertise to educate across the entire spectrum of users’ abilities, technical experience, and visual and auditory capabilities.

Proposed BLS Definition: STC.org

Technical Communicators


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• A person working in a professional or technical setting, who– is able to readily adapt to a new subject area– can select and assess the type and level of communication required to

• meet the needs of the intended audience, and • support the intended purpose of the information

– has knowledge, skills, and abilities to• select and effectively apply appropriate tools, and• plan and execute an information solution within constraints of corporate and regulatory

requirements and appropriate industry standards– ensures stakeholders and consumers benefit from safe, appropriate, and

effective use of the subject product or service.

STC Certification Commission

A Typical Professional Technical Communicator is


stctoronto.orgTechnical Communicators

• Technical Communicators are…– Technical Writers– Technical Editors– Information Developers– Information Architects– Documentation Specialists– Instructional Designers– Technical Illustrators


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Building the profile of a professional technical communicator


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What We Bring to the Table

Behaviours

Traits Skills

Technical ExpertiseHabits

Ethics


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Traits


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Successful Technical Communicators are

1. confident

2. passionate

3. driven to explore

4. creative problem solvers

5. continuously learning

6. technically apt, and

7. comfortable with chaosSeven Traits


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• To try new things

• To actively seek out needed resources

• To stand up for what you believe to be right

• To advocate for the user

Self-confidentConfident


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• User champion

• Pride in your work

• Drive for excellence

• Not satisfied with “just a job”

• Works within Communities of Practice

• Do you see yourself as a professional?

Passionate about what you do

Passionate


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• Natural curiosity and desire to innovate

• Interested in all aspects of the technical communication business

• Regularly makes time to explore

• Does not wait for others to tell them what the best solutions are

• Not afraid to try something different

Driven to explore

Curious


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• Able to identify problems and act independently to solve them

• Sees the opportunity in adversity

• Can identify and effectively explain issues before they become problems

• Persistent

• Think creatively

Creative problem solver

Resourceful


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• Industry isn’t static

• It’s up to you to keep learning– New skills– New technologies– New tricks

• Develop and revise career goals to stretch beyond your current state

• Make your own personal investment and don’t rely solely on your employer

Continuously learning new thingsInformed


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• Quickly learn new technology

• Be able to train others

• Understand the domain about which you write

• Be able to communicate this knowledge

Technically apt Fearless


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• Sees change as opportunity

• Capable of moving out of their comfort zone

• Adaptable

• Able to surf through the chaos

Comfortable with chaos Unflappable


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Behaviours


stctoronto.orgEthical Conduct

• Ethical behaviour supports the theory and practice of technical communication so that businesses and customers benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective use of products, information, and services

• John Hedtke describes ethical conduct as:– Abiding by professional standards, and– Complying with appropriate laws


stctoronto.orgAbide by Professional Standards

• Be honest in communication and about qualifications in circumstances that might lead to conflicts of interest.

• Strive for excellence in delivered products and processes.

• Acquire and maintain professional expertise.

• Help others understand the value of technical communication.

• Honor professional commitments.


stctoronto.orgComply with Appropriate Laws

• Honor copyrights, patents, and other property rights and acknowledge the authorship and ownership of intellectual property.

• Avoid harm to others through incomplete or inaccurate communication.

• Honor confidentiality and respect the privacy of others.

• Obey the laws and policies concerning technical communication and data privacy and security of my country and my company.


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Skills


stctoronto.orgTechnical Skills

• Requisite skills are under constant change

• Important to focus on the applicant’s adaptability and willingness to learn new skills

• Look at categories of skills rather than specific skills with a single technology or piece of software


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• Project Planning

• Project Analysis

• Solution Design

• Organizational Design

• Written Communication

• Visual Communication

• Content Development

• Content Management

• Final Production

Competencies• User, Task, Experience Analysis

• Information Design

• Process Management

• Information Development

• Information Production

Practice Areas

Assessing Areas of Practice


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• Demonstrate your skill in planning projects for delivering information products.

• Factors include developing a plan for creating and tracking the implementation of an information product.

Documentation Planning


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• Demonstrate your skill in analyzing requirements for developing information products.

• Factors include analyzing audience, task, and data requirements for developing an information product.

Documentation AnalysisFilippo, Elizabeth. “The Road to

Personas" Intercom 56.1 Jan. 2009: 22


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• Demonstrate your ability to design high level solutions ‐for implementing information products.

• Factors include research methodology and synthesis of research results into an overall design solution.

Solution Design


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• Demonstrate your ability to design the organization of information products.

• Factors include selection and construction of an organizational framework that defines the information architecture.

Information Architecture


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• Demonstrate your ability to compose content and communicate in written form.

• Factors include writing style, use of structural elements, appropriateness of presentation for the intended audience, and consistency.

Written Communication


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• Demonstrate your knowledge of visual communication principles that support written content.

• Factors include templates, styles, graphics, signal words, layout, and navigation.

Visual LiteracyDragga, Sam; Voss, Dan. "Cruel Pies:

The Inhumanity of Technical Illustrations" Technical Communication

48.3 Aug. 2001: 265-274


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• Demonstrate your knowledge of content development principles and ability to develop content.

• Factors include your ability to review, edit, and verify content.

Content Development

Read Don Bush, STC Fellow

“The Friendly Editor” in back issues of Intercom

online


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DITA

XML

METADATA

WIKIS

• Demonstrate your knowledge of content management principles and ability to manage content.

• Factors include– collaboration and workflow – topic based authoring‐– structured authoring– single source authoring and ‐

reuse– metadata– version control and archiving

Content Management


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• Demonstrate your knowledge of final production principles and processes.

• Factors include handling for both electronic and print outputs.

Production Processes


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Hiring excellence


stctoronto.orgHiring Excellence

• What to look for as a hiring manager– How do you determine who is likely the best candidate from a resume and

interview?– Questions and techniques to use to “weed out” and identify excellent

candidates. – Know what position you are looking to fill but also what skills are lacking on

your team or may be useful.– Understand the personality traits that will enable the candidate to fit in to

the team, the environment, the company.


stctoronto.orgThen and Now

• As evidenced by the pace of change over the past few decades, our profession is under constant change

• Some believe that we are on the precipice of a major technological change not just in technical communication but in the way we all communicate

– Gollner, Joe; Stilo 2008 http://www.slideshare.net/abelsp/workshop-content-engineering

http://www.slideshare.net/abelsp/workshop-content-engineering


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• Twenty years ago– Exacting researcher– Efficient organizer– Skillful reporter– Accomplished teacher– Publisher’s apprentice– Science and engineering devotee– Graphic arts patron

Trends in Hiring Practices


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• Today– Knowledge of online publishing technologies– Creation of metadata– Content management– Localization– Audience-centric focus– Write well– Visualize Information

Trends in Hiring Practices


stctoronto.orgRole of technology

• Then– Technical writers wrote about technology

• Now– Technology is embedded in what we write about technology– We write less and manipulate text


stctoronto.orgTechnological advances

• You must develop with the industry

• Changes in 20 years– New delivery mediums– New delivery mechanisms– New skills– New expectations– New tools– New technologies


stctoronto.orgLooking at technical skills

• Review resume and probe the use of the tools they have used.– How much knowledge in the tools and for what purpose they used them– Probe use of various writing methodologies– Knowledge of tools/skills, how much?– Possible use of standardized technical aptitude test


stctoronto.orgLooking at soft skills

• Are they presentable?

• Do they project an aura of confidence but not cockiness?

• Do they answer questions without hesitation and are able to present examples of what they have done in certain situations?

• Use behavior based interviewing that probes examples of how candidates have dealt with various situations (BBSI).


stctoronto.orgProfessional development

• Technical Communicators need to stay connected with changes in the field

• Look for candidates that identify with the profession outside of 9-5

• Look for candidates that make an ongoing effort to connect, renew, and develop through professional associations


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Technical Communication Certification


stctoronto.orgCertification Drivers

• Legitimize the contributions of, and respect for, our profession

• Establish uniform worldwide performance standards

• Increase the employability and earning potential for certified practitioners

• Reduce risk for employers

• Satisfy employers’ expectations


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• Certification is an objective, portable, personal credential that is associated with higher salaries, job-hunting advantages, and better job opportunities

The Value to Practitioners


stctoronto.orgValue to Employers

• Employers find that certified professionals are more often competent and successful than uncertified ones

• Employers spend less to hire, train, and replace certified employees

• Therefore, employers seek out and pay more for certified professionals


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• Certification first discussed in 1964

• First STC-sanctioned Ad Hoc Committee on Certification in 1975

• Membership surveys: 1975, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1995, 1997

• Certification RFP issued in 1985

• Feasibility study commissioned in 1998

• Began work on Body of Knowledge (BOK) in 2007

• Benchmarking report on professions in 2008

• Approved by STC Board on 30 April 2010

• First certifications issued: 2012

• Certification program suspended: 2013

• Program relaunched: 2015

Certification Milestones


stctoronto.orgExpanding Certification Beyond Writers

• Areas of practice can be weighted

• Specialty certifications (future)

• Opportunity for partnerships with other organizations


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PMP Growth, 1984–2010

2010: 412,000

PMPs

2002: 50,000 PMPs1993:

1000 PMPs


stctoronto.orgExample of Salary Impact


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Role of the STC in your career


stctoronto.orgBadge of a Professional

• Hiring an STC member means hiring a professional with all the tools in his/her toolbox

• Hire an STC member and get access to a vast network of professionals and resources


stctoronto.orgThe STC Supports its Members

• Traditional Channels– Publications– Online Resources– Local and Virtual Communities– Competitions– Learning Opportunities

• Emerging Channels– STC Body of Knowledge– Professional Certification


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Questions?

seven traits of successful technical communicators

Career