Additions to Technical Communication Skills

[Tim Mantyla]

Nice additions, all of you!

Does proofreading include spell-checking? Yes, in my book. But it's only a 
subset of it, since automated spell check dictionaries can be updated to 
include incorrect words, and don't catch incorrect usage when the word is 
spelled correctly. I update mine all the time to include, for example, 
"rcv" as my abbrev. form of "receive." I recently read several pieces in 
newspapers and blogs using the word "flaunt" in place of the correct 
"flout."

We should add some form of 
·      Attention to detail
·      (somewhat) obsessive rewriting 
·      (somewhat) obsessive error-checking

I was thinking about, and recently read that "listening is not overtly 
taught" in schools. We think we know what it is, but are we all on top of 
our game with listening skills?

It is a huge, vital skill, along with seeing (as opposed to looking), 
since so much learning depends on it.

--Tim

Ned Bedinger <doc at edwordsmith.com> wrote on 10/29/2007 02:51:19 PM:

> And spell checking.  What kind of technical writer would we be if we 
> couldn't and didn't spell check?
> 
> Ned "put a spell on you"
> 
> Chris Borokowski wrote:
> > This is a promising thread.
> > 
> > Do we add researching, investigative and forensics skills?
> > 
> > What about user interaction, intergface design?
> > 
> > Bill collector dodging and tall tale telling?
> > 
> > 
> > --- Tim Mantyla <TimMantyla at nustep.com> wrote:
> > 
> >> Technical Communication Skills
> >> >From 
> >>
> > 
http://www.techwr-l.com/articles/employment/technicalcommunicationskills
> >> I was looking for this re: the person wondering about job

> >> Proofreading & page markup
> >> ·       Web page development
> >> ·       Online help development
> >> Soft Skills
> >> ·       Creativity,  imagination, visualization
> >> Research
> >> Listening
> >> ·       Analyzing audiences
> >> ·       Writing from point of view of user/reader
> >> ·       Interviewing people (SMEs and others)
> >> ·       Facilitating meetings
> >> ·       Analyzing & managing a project/multiple projects
> >> ·       Working productively as part of a team
> >> ·       Working without direct supervision
> >> ·       Meeting deadlines
> >> ·       Understanding the product
> >> ·       Analyzing, planning, prioritizing and organizing skills
> >> ·       Familiarity with mediums such as user manuals, marketing 
> >> literature, technical illustrations, documentation, etc.
> >>
> >>
> >> Tim Mantyla
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^