RE: TC vs TW

["Lauren" <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net>]

Ten years ago, the job title of technical communicator was tossed around,
but never caught on.  I guess it was too vague or broad or better stated
with other job titles.  

Personally, I think that "technical communicator" may be how people can
identify themselves, but that identity can cover many job disciplines.
Technical writer is a job title for the person who primarily produces
technical documentation.  A technical communicator can also be a technical
trainer, analyst, or any other person who primarily communicates their
technical work to others.  

All of these people do work that is a part of other disciplines, just
because a technical writer does a lot of work that is technical
communication but is not technical writing, does not mean that the technical
writer should require a new job title.  Trainers and analysts write and use
non-written communication, should their titles change too?

I don't understand why the battle over this job title keeps rising.  What is
wrong with being a technical writer?  Writing is the primary purpose of the
job, so writer should be the title.

Lauren


> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lauren=writeco -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lauren=writeco -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> ] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
> Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 12:12 PM
> To: David Hailey; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: TC vs TW
> 
> Wow.  I feel as if I've just had a flashback to a dotcom-era
> STC meeting.
> 
> Instead of littering the list with yet another point-for-point
> online p***ing match, I propose a small wager.  I predict
> that ten years from now "technical writers" will be doing
> most or all the functions you ascribe to those "technical
> communicators" who never write, and the nonwriting
> "communicator" jobs will, if they haven't been completely
> obsoleted by the new tools the technical writers use, be
> non-exempt positions in the same employment category
> as DTP and word processor operators.  If I'm wrong, I'll
> buy lunch.  If not, you will.
> 
> Gene Kim-Eng
> 

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