What the Internet excels at to help tech writers...

I thought I'd write a bit about what the Internet excels at, at least in my opinion. One thing I find handy are examples of documents (among other things) or real useful technical documentation. Let's face it. There are many ways to write documents. Sure there are some rules but as far as layout, design etc. some of the rules are improvised upon. For one thing Apple is a company whose docs should be examined.

For a company that innovates in technology, it only makes sense that they innovate in documents too. Check out the layout for iPhone 4 finger tips quick start guide.  For this type of doc, I find scrolling left to right so much easier than up or down (especially on an iPhone). Yet so few technical communicators think a document should be used this way. A company that innovates electronics and makes the use of electronics creative doesn't surprise me when they think different for their documents. I have always found their online help very useful.

I also find the Internet useful for general information. For example I found this site O*Net Online. For technical writers/communicators it provides a quick reference for all the titles we go by, job tasks, skills, knowledge needed, etc. Very useful for people just starting out or wanting to get more information in job searches. I'm not that familiar with the organization but the site did make me realize that perception of a technical writing job varies widely between employers.

I don't recommend believing everything one sees on the Internet, yet I do find that when I need a little inspiration or a set of new ideas I reach for my browser. But like any tool it has a downside (for me it can  be a time bandit - robbing me of time to do other things if I am not very careful). So I recommend using the Internet for what it is, a big sharing community with all the good and bad that is associated with it. Take all you see and weigh it in relation to the source that is providing the information. There is a lot of good stuff to be found.

CSUDH Certificate classes starting in June

I wanted to post that the classes I teach in Advanced Technical Communication as well as Information Design start soon (June 2). I love teaching in this program. In the course I teach students stretch their abilities and enjoy a nurturing environment.

For general information see this PDF by the University

For class cost and dates: see College of Extended & International Education

"...Simplifying the complex."

I love this quote I found "Technical writing is sometimes defined as simplifying the complex."
from TECH WHIRL. I agree that the goal of technical writing, according to the site, makes information useful to a particular audience. "Good technical writing results in relevant, useful and accurate information geared to specifically targeted audiences in order to enable a set of actions on the part of the audience in pursuit of a defined goal."

Thoughts on creating course content & the web

I was thinking about course content the other day and I decided to Google some. When I feel I need motivation or just feel 'blank' I Google. I know, not the answer to everything but it does set me on a path of thought. (My other go-to is YouTube. Seriously folks, there are plenty of videos on just about everything. If you get bored there are plenty of amusing things on there.)

I came up with this link and I found it gave me plenty of ideas. Course Syllabi and Materials from various courses around the world. Some are pretty old but since not all tech writing changes they are a nice place to start. I started thinking on how diverse technical writing is (or perceived) since it can be taught at times in Extended Education. English Dept., Computer Science & Engineering Depts., Communication, or even Journalism. I think that diversity has always been an attraction for me. 

This site is the Association of teachers of Technical Writing. I'm not promoting this association in any way (nor do I belong to it) but I thought they really do have very nice tools and ideas for not just teachers but anyone who wants to learn more about technical communication. So the next time you are in need of some inspiration or ideas, take to the web.

Tip in writing: Beware the homophone

In many forms of writing, a writer relies on word processors to catch issues. One issue that is difficult for word processors to catch are mistakes with homophones. According to Merriam-Webster (2014) a homophone is "a word that is pronounced like another word but is different in meaning, origin, or spelling." In writing that needs to be clear and concise, this accidental switch will definitely confuse a reader. Just imagine switching minor with miner, elicit with illicit, or switch theirs with there's. A switch like that may not happen often for most writers, but it is still a great idea to read through work to look for any of these issues so that they don't get into a document, especially if one is a lone writer at an organization and has no editor.

My vote for the most accidental use of a homophone: to and too
It is just too easy to hit that extra o by accident.

Merriam-Webster. (2014). Homophone. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homophones?show=0&t=1390180461

Happy New Year! What are your Goals?

It's now 2014 and time to contemplate career and personal goals. The new year always provides a lot of excitement and the fresh feeling for new potential. Personal goals are very subjective as are many tech writing goals for individuals and organizations. Here are a few suggestions to think about when setting tech writing goals for you and your organization.

• Style guides - do you need to create them for your organization or update the ones you have?
• How are documents managed? Is it time for a content management system or just better organization?
• Talk to your manager? What are their needs? Can you align your documentation goals with their expectations?
• How can I improve communication with my subject matter experts (and their departments)? 
• What needs updating? Not just docs but policies and procedures...
• Do we have a quality control procedure for the organization's documentation?
•  Any way to save money or improve documents in general? Perhaps recommend if management is still using paper docs that they could go online or update a current web site for customer usability.
• Can documentation redundancy be reduced?
• Is there any piece of software that would make creating documentation better? (This should include reduce time to create docs, better usability, and all together better?) If so try to get a cost and write a proposal to management.
• Consider creating surveys (lots of free stuff out there like Google docs or Survey Monkey) to find out the positives and negatives of your docs (anonymous feedback is great. Just drop the outliers and look at the main body of feedback).
• Is there any software you want to learn or any new skills you'd like to take a class in to improve your job? Consider a certificate program if you don't have a degree in tech writing even if you have been tech writing for a while. New perspectives are great, just make sure you focus on courses that offer a practical approach.  (For example CSUDH's technical communication certificate.)
• Consider branching out to other types of technical writing for your own personal skill enhancement. Do you like white papers? Consider writing one or ghost writing with some SMEs.

There are so many opportunities to increase your organization and your own personal potential that the list can go on quite a while. So I recommend every technical communicator ask themselves at the beginning of the year "What are your goals?"

End of year thoughts and interesting article

As it gets to the end of year, I always wish I wrote more on this blog but unfortunately work and what I call the time slip seem to happen far too often. This is the time of year I catch up on reading and writing (for my own work) and reflect on past, present, and future (think A Christmas Carol).

So I wanted to point out an article from the STC web site What I Wish I Had Known. It is a discussion on one technical communicator's experiences writing for a living. Perhaps my favorite recommendation in the list is  If you like something, do it. I agree with this wholeheartedly - even the risk taking. The Author said "Don’t be afraid to fail. The person who has never failed nor gotten fired is not stretching themselves enough." This is a similar saying from an old acquaintance in the entertainment industry who once said to me "You are not anybody in Hollywood until you have been fired at least once and quit at least twice."

Not that I am advocating getting fired but I think both speak to risk and reaching for those goals you wonder about. Taking a chance. As we come to the end of another year and the beginning of still yet another, I will reflect on that and evaluate goals anew. I have found that every time I take a new turn in my path, I come upon an unexpected but thoroughly exhilarating experience. I look forward to the New Year and new journeys along the path but most of all, meeting people along the way.