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Subject:Re: Our value as Tech Writers vs Trainers From:"Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 1 Oct 2003 08:11:47 -0700
I don't think it's so much a matter of defining a writer's value "relative to"
instructional designers, but rather as part of a team *with* them. Having
worked as and with trainers and instructional designers, most of them work
under some frustrating restrictions. The trainers, who may or may not be
good writers, have to spend much of the time they might need to gather and
organize information for training materials actually delivering the training
in classes (and if you think researching and writing consumes time, try
delivering classes). The designers, who may or may not be good writers,
often have to spend much of the time they might need to gather and organize
information analyzing the needs of different types of instruction and designing
tailored curriculums that can differ radically from relatively straightforward
manuals. Having a technically adept researcher/writer who can look at a
trainer or designer's outline plans and serve as a second source of data,
support
research, editing, illustration, etc., takes a big load off their backs, and
often
results in them adding their voices to the clamoring for additional pubs people
as products move from initial R&D to deployment in the field. So the best
way to define your value where these folks are concerned is to look at them
as potential customers and define areas where you can help them and help
enhance their contributions rather than trying to compare yours to theirs.
Gene Kim-Eng
Dratndarn asked:
> how would you define our unique value relative to instructional
> designers' value?
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