Technical communicators can benefit greatly by following the advances made in engineering-writing education.

Imagine that you are the new kid on the technical writing block: the new employee, the recent graduate, the contract employee, or the transfer from another division. You have just received your first writing assignment.

Where is the best place to start?

Consider the writing of Rosemary Gates. According to her, it might be best to start by studying the documents and interviewing the co-workers for unspoken expectations within your new workplace.  Naturally, you should then proceed with a review of your audience and then the subject of your writing (that is, the engine, software, or other product you were employed to document). To assume that there is no unspoken, workplace-specific standard might significantly damage your ability to communicate in that organization or industry.

Recent studies in engineering-writing education (like those of Rosemary Gates, Julia Williams, and others) focus on four main themes to consider in technical communication, all of which may positively affect your skills in effectively delivering the topic.

1.    Consider the Manual’s Interdisciplinary Audiences

Our communications cannot be limited to only objectively describe our product or unilaterally provide one procedure that meets the needs of the intended audience.  Rather, we must also consider other issues like the safety needs of the audience, the needs of the project’s stakeholder, compliance with the company style guide, and the schedule from the manufacturing department.

2.    Know that Writing is Integral to Engineering

A second engineering-writing theory that technical communicators can turn to their benefit tells us that just about every step of an engineering task involves some form of writing.  While some technical writers may see this as a tacit form of job insurance, the greater value in this theory may be in the way it uncovers sources of information for the technical communicator.

Dorothy Winsor, in her article Engineering Writing/Writing Engineering, demonstrates that knowledge within engineering is necessarily communication-centric. By stepping through the processes that a specific engineer follows while creating a report for an engineering society, she points out how the engineer at the center of her study generated his initial reports primarily by reviewing handwritten comments made on computer-generated texts that were handed out and discussed in design meetings attended by multiple engineers.  She goes on to point out that all of the stages of the development of the finished report (from the computer-generated portion of the handouts to the Progress Reports that the engineer cited to the comments on his draft copy) involved writing.

In this light, technical writers can benefit from the communication by getting included in the engineers’ conversation.

3.    Know that Engineers Use Graphics to Communicate

A third engineering-writing theory focuses on the fact that engineers use graphics when forming ideas and communicating knowledge.  Through this theory, knowledgeable technical communicators can both fashion documents for engineers and retrieve information from engineers.  Also, writers using this theory can encourage engineers to use various graphics when trying to communicate a concept.  For example, a writer might encourage an engineer to sketch a device or to look at a photo when trying to remember details.

This theory comes out of the ethnographic study of David Hutto, Graphics and Invention in Engineering Writing.  Through this study, Dr. Hutto found that graphics played a part in engineers’ composition of documents even when graphics were not a part of the final product.

4.    Know that Genre Theory is Being Implemented Successfully in Engineering Writing Curriculum

The last engineering-writing theory focuses on forms of discipline-specific writing styles within engineering.  Genre theory considers the accepted style within a discourse community when determining how those trying to communicate with that community should proceed.  For example, although it is standard practice for most technical writers to create procedures in active voice, engineering lab reports primarily emphasize the action taking place and, therefore, are completed in passive voice.  Similarly, the heading structure required for specific types of reports which are commonly used in certain disciplines are crucial to the discourse communities receiving those reports.

If technical writers consider the influence of genre and study the discourse community within our audiences, those writers will benefit through building credibility between themselves and the audience and by crafting a succinct message.  By speaking the language of the audience, technical communicators will naturally communicate better with the audience.  Additionally, technical writers that follow the conventions of the discourse will communicate more directly with the audience than those who avoid or ignore the discourse conventions.

Why should technical communicators look at studies on engineering writing when considering ways to improve technical communication? 

1.    Technical Writers and Engineers Often Share the Same Workplace

If we adopt the perspective of Mick Harney, technical writers do not just work with engineers, but are part of an engineering discipline.  By applying the definition of an information systems engineer to technical writers, Harney determined that technical writing is a discipline of engineering because technical writers use “specification, design, construction, testing, bringing into service, maintenance, and enhancement, together with quality assurance” when creating technical documents just as systems engineers would when creating and delivering an information system.

2.    Technical Communicators and Engineers Share a Common Focus on Technology

Technical writers and engineers share a common focus on technology.  Both groups work with some form of technology daily, must mentally manipulate concepts of that technology, and translate the concepts for transmission to the outside world.  In light of this common focus, technical writers and engineers may often experience the same problems (or different within an overarching concern).  So, for a technical writer to investigate engineering writing may be a means for that writer to recognize and address problems experienced with the technology.

3.    Technical Communication and Engineering in America Sprung from the Engineering Education Curricula of the Early 20^th Century

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the complexity of the new technologies that drove the Industrial Revolution powered several other events; technical writing was one of these. John Hagge’s Early Engineering Writing Textbooks and the Anthropological Complexity of Disciplinary Discourse points to T. A. Rickard’s A Guide to Technical Writing, published in 1908, as the first textbook in engineering writing.  Within this book, the one concept common to today’s technical communicator (Rickard’s advice to “remember the reader”) did little to make that textbook useful to today’s engineer or technical communicator.  Of Hagge’s sample of 20 textbooks written before 1935, all focused on the formalities of engineering language (even going so far as to suggest specific words and phrases) and usually gave examples of types of communications to be written by engineers.

As a result of the standardizations implicit with World War II, things have changed in both engineering writing and technical communication since the beginning.

• Increased innovation with the creation of computers
• Communication explosion caused by the Internet.

Still, a common history between engineering writing and technical communication points toward common traits within our current situation.

4.    Engineering Writing Brings a New Perspective to Technical Communication Research and Practice

Because the research of engineering-writing academics often centers on aspects of communication that are viewed from an engineering mindset, these engineering-writing articles often can provide a technical communicator with insight regarding issues in technical communication, such as:

• Studies on ways engineers use graphics in reports might illuminate ways and types of graphics that technical communicators might use graphics in reports.
• Review of such an article on engineering might improve your interviewing skills by providing ways to allow engineers to illustrate the input you need to receive from them.
• Research on discourse communities within engineering might provide insight on the jargon that can creep into our technical communications.
• Research on genre analysis of engineering writing might reveal audiences that that most technical communicators have not considered.

Today’s technical communicators already have a number of tools available to improve their technical writing tasks: audience analysis, usability research, readability formulas, precepts of persuasion derived from many rhetoricians, research of many technical-writing researchers.

Now, we should also consider adding to our toolbox the resources provided by engineering-writing educators.

Want to learn more? Check out these resources!

Gates, Rosemary. “An Academic and Industrial Collaboration on Course Design.” Journal of Business and Technical Communication 3, no. 2 (1989): 78-87, accessed March 24, 2011, http://jbt.sagepub.com/content/3/2/78

Broadhead, Glenn. “Addressing Multiple Goals for Engineering Writing.” Language and Learning across the Disciplines 3 no. 2 (1999): 19-43, accessed March 22, 2011, http://wac.colostate.edu/llad/v3n2/v3n2.pdf

Williams, Julia. “Transformations in Technical Communication Pedagogy: Engineering, Writing, and the ABET Engineering Criteria 2000.” Technical Communication Quarterly 10, no. 2 (2001): 149-167, accessed March 8, 2011, http://pdfserve.informaworld.com.ezproxy.uhd.edu/786728_750430294_785834207.pdf

Winsor, Dorothy. “Engineering Writing/Writing Engineering.” College Composition and Communication 41, no. 1 (1990): 58-70, accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.jstor.org/stable/357883

Leydens, Jon. “Novice and Insider Perspectives on Academic and Workplace Writing: Toward a Continuum of Rhetorical Awareness.” IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 51, no. 3 (2008): 242-263, accessed March 23, 2011, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4322502&isnumber=4322491

Hutto, David.  “Graphics and Invention in Engineering Writing.”  Technical Communication 54, no. 1 (2007): 88-98, accessed March 7, 2011, http://sophclinic.pbworks.com/f/hutto-tc-graphics-2007.pdf,

Walker, Kristin. “Using Genre Theory to Teach Students Engineering Lab Report Writing: A Collaborative Approach.” IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 42, no. 1 (1999): 12-19, accessed March 8, 2011, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=749363&isnumber=16189

Haney, Mick.  “Is Technical Writing an Engineering Discipline?”  IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 43, no. 2 (2000): 210-212, accessed April 23, 2011, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=843649&isnumber=18302

Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Occupational Outlook Handbook.  Technical Writers.  (2008): accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos319.pdf

The new Apple iPhone 4S recently made its debut.  It’s faster, takes clearer pictures, is offered by three major carriers and can be used overseas.  However, what has most tongues wagging is a voice recognition feature called Siri.  This is not dictation.  It’s an interactive experience.  Siri knows your schedule better than you do.  It’s a virtual assistant and can handle tasks from simple to more complex. 

Many phones have voice recognition technology, but Apple takes this to the next level with the iPhone 4S.  Siri is seamlessly integrated into many features, increasing the ease of use and overall experience.  To activate Siri, hold down the home button on the phone or the control button on your headset device. 

Then get ready for the start of a beautiful friendship.

You can use Siri to remind you to buy milk on the way home from work, play your favorite music or check the weather.  If you want to schedule a meeting on your calendar, Siri can do that.  Like a good personal assistant, Siri will even remind you if there is something else scheduled at that time.  

I know, you’ve had a bad experience with other voice recognition applications.  You have called your cable provider and found yourself repeating the same simple phrase over-and-over, even shouting in public, “Speak to a representative!”  You’ve been nagged at the supermarket by the check-out machine to perform each basic step, like you are not capable of scanning a loaf of bread. 

Siri understands.  Really, she does.  She will respond to your commands in a conversational way.  If her response is not spot-on, just rephrase the question.  No shouting necessary. To lighten the situation, Siri may even reply with a joke to a question you think she may not understand.   

As you may have guessed, Siri works well in a hands-free environment.  She will read your text messages and allow you to speak your reply.  Then, she will confirm your message before sending.  Or, if you’re hungry, just ask about restaurants in the area for suggestions.  Feel free to ask about your stocks, set a timer, or check on traffic.      

Of course, there are tasks Siri cannot yet perform.  She cannot read your e-mail messages.  At this time, Siri is not compatible with many common phone applications.  She does not give turn-by-turn directions.  Although Siri is fluent in a handful of languages, Spanish is not one of them.

Obviously, there is still room to grow.  

Now, if only the supermarket check-out machine would give me a few seconds to place the item in the bag.

As our economy continues to lag, communicators must find new ways to show corporate value and gain recognition for superior work. How wonderful is it that our very own organization of technical peers knows just how to help us boost our corporate value? From recognizing and celebrating excellence in our field, to learning through judging other’s work, to gaining valuable feedback from respected colleagues, the benefits of participating in the STC Houston 2011-2012 Competition are numerous!

The proof of those benefits is evident in the number of repeat entrants and judges that we have from year to year. All have great things to say about their experiences with the competition!

There are only two weeks until our Call for Entries ends and you lose your opportunity to participate! The time to enter is today! Review your work from the past year, and look at our various categories for the competition. (More details on competition rules and category examples are here.)

Competition categories include the following:

• Training Materials
• Informational Materials
• Promotional Materials
• User Support Materials

Entries, entry forms, and entry fees must be received by October 17, 2010 (or bring them to the October 18th program meeting!) Enter online and pay online, drop off your entry, or send it by mail. It couldn’t be easier!

Spread the word to your work peers and challenge them to enter with you! Don’t forget, top winners qualify to enter themselves in the STC Summit Awards at the international level. In an era where job stability is not always something we can take for granted, an STC award sure would look nice on your desk, wouldn’t it?

Questions?

Email us at: competitions@stc-houston.org. We can wait to see what you’ve been working on, STC Houston!

As a representative of life skills requirements of a communicator, experiences for Gary Foster cut a wide swath throughout his life. When times were good, he thrived; and, when times were less than ideal, he rose to face the challenges.

During the difficult 1980s, he served as manager of the employment committee for STC Houston. His briefcase had “as many as 150 résumés” from all over the country crammed inside. Each resume was given his best shot at a suitable job match. “I feel like I contributed to success a couple of times,” he said modestly. In doing so, he developed a solid reputation for success with job seekers as well as potential employers.

Later, having been laid off from a company after 12 years as a proficient technical communicator, he began attending STC meetings regularly. By this time, the organization’s employment committee had gone to seed. Incoming president, George Slaughter, tapped Gary to set up an employment committee in the seed-rich, and soil-poor job market. He rolled up his sleeves and met with member Steve Cunningham, who had a hand in the daunting task of establishing early online employment features. With no figurative fertile topsoil, he began working the hardpan of the fields of Houston STC employment opportunities.

They began by contacting members with news of the employment committee revival. Gary dished out employment tips and recommendations during each meeting’s networking hour. He busied himself with compiling a successful online list of companies and agencies that hire communicators. Soon, companies were asking to be listed.

With the wind at his back, Gary put together a seminar, where job seekers rotated through a three-hour, four-station session. Volunteers provided individual coaching for interviews, networking, portfolio development, and résumé review. He built upon the success of the seminar, and went on to enlist more volunteers for future seminars, and eventually included salary surveys.

More recently, Gary began working for ThruBit as the company’s first technical writer. He documented “80- to 90-percent of the tools within one year” before announcing his retirement.

Friendly, reliable, and even-tempered, Gary was respected there. He was valued for his lifetime of skills in mechanical aptitude, and his keen ability to convey information to those who assembled electromechanical items. Fellow employees counted on Gary to pitch in “out back,” or on the floor when shorthanded or flummoxed by an aspect of tool assembly.

With a sense of responsibility to the company regarding replacements after his retirement, Gary assisted in connecting the company with job candidates. One was subsequently hired.

The company employees honored his departure with a retirement party with extra pizza, a cake, and further delighting him with a gift card for Cavender’s western apparel. His wife attended “coming all the way in from the country.” Even the most stoic employees were emotionally affected by Gary’s departure.

He timed his retirement announcement with completion of his residence on thirteen acres of rural land. The original houses on the property had burned down twice, leaving a concrete slab and some deteriorating livestock stalls. Gary and his wife lived in mobile housing on the land, building their retirement home a little at a time. Much bushwhacking reduced most of the obnoxious thorny overgrowth from twenty years of neglect.

The Fosters’ current home project is landscaping with sandstone pried from the quarry on the property. Both he and his wife have a place to pursue interests, such as his wife’s talent for etching eggshells. She favors emu eggs for the various subtle color layers.

And Gary does woodwork in his workshop. He prefers mesquite wood, specializing in custom pen and pencil sets, as well as detailed gunstocks. He can size a person up for a perfect match between balance, beauty, and utility in master crafting items for his customers.

In anticipation of demand for cattle as a means for landowners to retain agricultural tax exemptions, he placed four head of Dexter cattle on his land as a venture. Dexter cattle are small enough to place on “half the land required by normal cattle,” he says. “They are docile,” and “are good for meat.” “And they give good milk,” he adds.

He still has his boyhood wheat and cattle farm in Oklahoma, now managed by his cousin. Here in Texas he enjoys playing snooker, a billiards game (http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Snooker), in his snooker room upstairs, visiting with friends and family, and participating in local social activities.

Oh, and he is still the go-to guy with his pickup truck full of tools. When it comes to cranky old machinery and equipment way out in the countryside, there’s no reason to stop the music and go home.

Marla has twenty years as copywriter, marketing consultant, and package design for an independent entertainment corporation.

Review by Robert Delwood, Senior Programmer Writer

If school prepares us to enter our careers, it seems there is little to prepare us for developing those careers.

Apprenticeship Patterns: Guide for the Aspiring Software Craftsman looks into taking those first steps in a career by treating the profession as a craft. Yes, the book is titled for software engineers, but overlook that—just ignore references to software (“guide for the aspiring craftsman”). The practices are the same for technical communicators (or any craft, for that matter), and there aren’t many books like this specifically for writers. But that’s another article.

The authors, Dave Hoover, psychologist turned developer, and Adewale Oshineye, another developer and project manager, fill in an important gap in this craftsman approach by providing additional, low-level information. They focus on patterns, or rather, common workplace problems with common solutions. As you assemble patterns, distinct paths form. Following those paths turns into a journey, from apprentice to journeyman and finally master craftsman. But first, examine the set of patterns for each step.

As the title implies, begin by being an apprentice. Start with an “empty cup.” That is, know that you don’t know, and use that to your advantage. Learn to do one thing expertly, such as writing APIs for developer documentation, writing procedures for end users, or explaining technical concepts in white papers, and become known for that skill. Teams are more comfortable with members who have actual skills, not just the promise of skills. Always have the attitude that there is a better, faster, smarter way. Find those who know. The company should provide that environment or at least have those resources available, but ultimately, your task is to identify relevant resources and use them to your career needs. As your portfolio and reputation grow, it’ll be easier to move around.

That gets you ready for “the long road.” Accept that you’re learning a craft and that only Hollywood has overnight celebrities. That means staying focused on your craft and not creating art. No one’s heard of a starving craftsman, just starving artists, and for a reason. Craftsmen create something people need. You’ve mastered a few important skills and moved up in the company. The important aspect here is that as you reach out to a greater community, you realize that there are plenty of people who are more skilled than you and who are still learning. Learn from them.

Gaining textbook skills or collecting certifications isn’t the point anymore; it’s applying all this knowledge in practical ways. Along the journey, you need to watch out for your best career interests and make sure that what you’re doing is what you want to do. For example, many get lost in promotions that lure them away from what they like doing, whether that’s programming or writing.

Finally, don’t underestimate perpetual learning. This is the key to the long road. Take time to practice, even if your job doesn’t seem to allow it. Learn new skills or apply existing skills in new ways. Along with practice comes failure, but don’t let that discourage you. Stay positive by creating a private time or area and start sample projects. Write procedures in a new way, or look at some new software to solve a problem. The point is to have breakable toys in a controlled environment.

The six chapters, 137 pages, and 31 patterns detail the journey. Although titled for apprentices, messages apply to all levels, whether directly or indirectly. It’ll help in working with others. It’s also a good reminder of skills and practices. Personally, I’ve seen too many in the industry simply stop learning after a title or job promotion. Writing is a craft because it’s not a science. We can codify the procedures to be a good writer, but reaching that goal still depends on skills. Skills doesn’t just mean the writing talents of one person but the collective set of everything to create a product, including learning from and teaching others.

Being good or even the best may not be enough. Taking a lesson from history, Antonio Stradivari is considered the best violin maker of all time. Yet, when he died, the secrets died with him because even his own sons couldn’t make the quality instruments that he had. The genius failed to pass his skills on. His apprentices were described as “excellent but no more than that.” They also failed because they should have pushed to learn what Stradivari knew.

Robert has been a technical writer for more than ten years, specializing in programming-writing. He believes that automation is necessary for communicators to thrive, and spends much effort evangelizing that message. Technology for technology sake is not the point, but rather the selective application of the right technology.

The Galleria area networking group has been meeting regularly for lunch on the last Tuesday of the month at Barry’s Pizza on Richmond at Fountainview, from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.

The group enjoys lively conversation about whatever comes to mind in the realm of technical communications, hiring trends, current events, etc. Each time, a core of approximately the same six individuals tends to show up, plus newcomers who are looking for job assignments and, in some cases, just plain old camaraderie amongst colleagues working in the “neighborhood.”

Last month, Ryan Bernard of Wordmark Associates attended with hopes of recruiting available tech writers for current openings. And this month, a recruiter from TekSystems plans to join us as he also attempts to fill positions. So, you could say from this resurgence of activity that Houston’s job market is alive and well.

Note that the luncheon is not exclusively for STC members, nor do you have to work in the area … all established and aspiring technical communicators are welcome to join us. Part of the fun for more experienced folks and even retirees is to mentor future tech writers. That’s the part I enjoy the most! Well, the pizza is good, too.

Deborah is a contract technical writer/editor who has been in the business for over 20 years, serving the oil&gas, petrochemical, engineering, medical, software, and hardware industries in Houston and S. California. Currently, she is working in marketing communications at Schlumberger where her main duty is to develop case studies about exploration and production software products in use around the world.

At the March lunch, we had more attendees than usual –  about 20, the most in recent memory; many were “crossovers” from other industries.

The majority of the “newcomers” probably attended because someone informed the Between Jobs Ministry (BJM) people about our luncheon, which is great!

We did not poll the attendees, but probably over half were not employed or were employed only part-time. Everyone to whom we spoke was appreciative of the event and our willingness to allow “non-STC people” to attend.

The Houston job market, based on the comments we heard, is still in the doldrums, but there are tiny lights of hope.

About the north Houston lunches
The north side STC networking lunch is held once a month. A reminder is sent each month to the STC Yahoo group, which includes the meeting location. The idea is to meet informally with peers to network, exchange ideas, and perhaps discover a solution to a thorny problem. You don’t have to be an STC member to attend.

For more information, or to RSVP (for seating purposes only) for the next lunch, email lunch_north@stc-houston.org.

Noel is the Technical Publications System Manager in the Baker Hughes Global Marketing Group. His 26-year career as a technical writer includes work in the petrochemical engineering and construction, natural gas transmission, IT, and oil&gas industries. Noel has also authored several articles for corporate and trade magazine publications, and has won awards from the STC and IABC for his work.

Raye has over 15 years of experience in technical communication and related project management. Her most recent position was with a financial software firm. She is an editor of Chen Pan-Ling’s Original Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Chuan Chiao Tsai), a martial arts textbook.