Information Engineers

[Gause_Brian at emc.com]

The title "Technical Writer" was always a bit misleading. A good writer
is not necessarily a good Technical Writer. To be good at the job we
generally refer to as "Technical Writing", you must first have excellent
communication skills. This means not just writing, but reading, talking
and generally getting along with your team. You must be able to
understand what your team says to you, and you must be ready to ask
questions when you don't understand. Consequently, you must be good at
grasping the essential principles, and ask appropriate questions.

This job is about communicating complex tasks to users who know nothing.
Writing is helpful, but it's only one skill among many. I equate Tech
Writing to "Library Science" from my SRA-testing days. To do this job
well, you must ask questions, find answers and communicate clearly.
Easy-peasy.


Brian Gause

Technical Writer
EMC Captiva
EMC Corporation
10145 Pacific Heights Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92121

P: 858-320-1202
F: 858-320-1010
E: Gause_Brian at emc.com


-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gause_brian=emc.com at lists.techwr-l.com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gause_brian=emc.com at lists.techwr-l.com] On
Behalf Of Gordon McLean
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 12:45 AM
To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
Subject: RE: Information Engineers

I wonder if this skew in job title is a reaction to the more "wordy"
amongst
us? 

A lot of technical writers have a background, or degree, in English, and
I've read a lot of beautifully worded technical manuals in my time,
unfortunately it took me twice as long to find out what I was looking
for
but hey, look at that lovely prose...

I'm not saying (dear god, I'm not starting THAT discussion again) that
writing is not important, just that the ability to work with technical
people, and understand what is going on, is now valued more?

Just a wonderingment, there IS a reason I'm deliberately hiring more
"technically able" people...

Gordon