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Is Technical Writing Boring? Tech Writers as Information Architects
March 14th, 2007 | Posted in Tech Writer Voices |
Download the MP3 file
Duration: 22 min.
In this week’s podcast, Heidi and I consider a probing question: Is technical writing boring? We discuss a post that spawned a lot of comments and exchanges. We also talk about an article on information architecture in the Tech Comm journal.
We talk about the following topics in this podcast:
- “Is technical writing boring?”post
- Information Architecture article in Tech Comm Journal
- Grammar Girl podcast
- Web 2.0 podcast
- Music from podshow
- Tom’s blog
- Heidi’s blog
For feedback/comments, email tom@idratherbewriting.com.
About Tech Writer Voices Tech Writer Voices is a podcast specifically for technical communicators. The weekly show features interviews, conversations, tips, and other information for those who write help content. To stay updated with the latest podcasts on technical writing, be sure to subscribe to Tech Writer Voices using the e-mail subscription feature in the top-right corner of the site.
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March 16th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Tom:
Another excellent podcast and a great contribution to the technical writing arena.
Yes, of course technical writing is boring….if that’s all you’re doing. Today, though, as we fashion ourselves into technical “communicators” our roles change and we find opportunities for making our jobs more exciting. I think we’ll see big changes in our industry over the coming years as technological advances make possible ways of communicating that were difficult (if not darn near impossible) in the past. User expectations will drive our industry toward change, perhaps kicking and screaming all the way. But, as the old addage goes, “Change is good.”
One interesting driver toward change — I predict — will be the presence of user-generated documentation. This is good news for tech writers who are bored. They can just sit there and watch the world go by as their customers document their products for them. LOL
Seriously, we do need, as a discipline, to examine what are “differentiating factors” are — it’s not the ability to write, nor is it to use Microsoft products (if you graduate from college and can’t write or use Word, your school should not be accredited), nor is it our command of the rhetoric or or mastery of grammar rules. Instead, it’s going to be our creativity and our ability to adapt to our new surroundings. And, of course, our mastery of new (in demand) skillsets and our understanding of vertical, niche markets.
I’ll save my lecture for a more appropriate time. But thanks to you and your guests for challenging us to think different.
Great job as always!
Scott Abel
TheContentWrangler.com
March 16th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
[...] mentioned this elections topic at the close of my last podcast. Nicky Bleiel has already contacted [...]
March 17th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
[...] of responses on both sides of the issue that he and Heidi decided to explore the issue in a recent Tech Writer Voices podcast by the same name. It was so interesting I just had to talk about it [...]
April 4th, 2007 at 7:37 am
[...] By the way, if you’re wondering when I extended the initial call, it was at the end of the “Is Technical Writing Boring?” podcast and also on a blog post here. I did not contact anyone [...]
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:50 pm
[...] Is Technical Writing Boring? Tech Writers as Information Architects [...]
April 15th, 2008 at 11:12 am
[...] Is Technical Writing Boring? By Tom Johnson and Heidi Hansen, 22 minutes [...]
April 15th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
[...] Is Technical Writing Boring? By Tom Johnson and Heidi Hansen, 22 minutes [...]
April 24th, 2008 at 9:31 am
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April 24th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Tom and Heidi,
I wanted to let you know that this podcast tied for first place in the Atlanta STC Chapter’s New Media Awards contest.
Congratulations and keep up the good work!
Holly