Article Idea:
Using Technical Communication Skills in User Experience
suggested by Theresa Putkey on 2007/01/18
Technical communication is no longer about writing, editing, reviewing, and maintaining a style guide. To get the most mileage out of this chosen profession and the skills it involves, tech writers can expand in information design and architecture, user interface design, usability, single sourcing, or content management, just to name a few of the possibilities.
But when it comes to applying for new jobs, such as an interaction designer, information architect, user experience specialist, how can these skills be transferred? You’re not moving to one or two new responsibilities, but to a whole new career where you’re competing with others with a different background.
This article would cover moving from technical communication to user experience, based on personal experience. Both fields are based on analyzing and fulfilling end-user needs and there are a lot of transferable skills.
Want to see this idea turned into a story?
8 people said yes. | 0 people said no.
Joe Sokohl
16 Reputation points
Posted 2007/01/23 @ 06:26AM with
Interesting concept—and it’s something I’ve been promoting for the past 10 years or so. I come from the techComm world. I moved into UX precisely for this reason: instead of writing better manuals, I wanted to help create better products. After all, the best-written manual can’t fix a poor interaction design.
Contact Bogo Vatovec (principal at http://www.bovacon.de/), who has presented on this topic at STC conferences for the past several years. Also, feel free to contact me as well. Would be glad to chat about this.
I’ve felt for a long time that techComm should at least be a respected, integral path to UX. Often, tech writers are themselves their own worst enemies in this space, worrying about split infinitives, comma splices, or ending sentences with prepositions rather than user analysis, interaction design, and information organization—natural skills that tech writers possess.
Stacia Marlett
0 Reputation points
Posted 2007/02/15 @ 10:01AM with
I’m totally new to this site, and a little green when it comes to UX. However, this article idea has got me wriggling in my seat because it is about my professional life right now. I’ve been a tech writer for going on six years, but am taking big steps in to the UX space. Our small tech writing team integrated with the UI team last year because we are so closely related. That seems obvious to me. And now I’m redesigning part of a web app and loving it. I love doing it and I love learning about best practices for it. I’ve always been more of an editor who loves to organize headings and content anyway, so I feel like I’m “editing” a web site to make it more usable. I think tech writers bring great insight into the UX process. I can’t wait for this article!
Aliasgar Bagasrawala
0 Reputation points
Posted 2007/02/16 @ 00:46AM with
Where is the story, i could not find, Can someone please help me to get the story? Thanks