Re: What do you guys think of STCs new definition for technicalwriter?

["Bill Swallow" <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com>]

> I think the analogy is flawed. We might read books about careers to our
> children, but I don't think those books comprehensively define the
> careers they describe.

I don't think we're comprehensively defining it on the labor books, either.

> So, while I do think it's possible to tell a five-year-old what a
> technical communicator is, and while I believe our profession is
> underrepresented in those career books that get read to kids, I don't
> for a second think that what we would put in such a book for an audience
> of five-year-olds should also pass muster as the definition for our job.

Oh, not at all, but if we can't define it in basic terms, then we're
overcomplicating the definition, and IMHO working against the whole
point of our profession in the first place; to explain complicated
stuff in an understandable manner to those who need to know it.
Whether we do it with text or images or videos or live presentations,
that's what we do. We explain things. If we can't describe this in
simple terms, then we've failed as technical communicators.

> The definition of technical communicator needs to be clear to a
> professional audience. It does not need to pass muster with
> five-year-old children. My 2 cents, anyway.

Ok, so I challenge you to define "professional audience". Do keep in
mind where the definition is to be printed. ;-)

-- 
Bill Swallow
HATT List Owner
WWP-Users List Owner
Senior Member STC, TechValley Chapter
STC Single-Sourcing SIG Manager
http://techcommdood.blogspot.com
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