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The podcasts I record for I'd Rather Be Writing cover the latest trends in technical communication. I interview tech writing luminaries around the world as well as record STC presentations and other audio content. You can subscribe to podcast specific feeds using the subscription information below.
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Is Technical Writing Boring? Tech Writers as Information Architects
March 14th, 2007 | Posted in Podcasts 11 Comments »
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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.
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
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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
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