This article appeared in “Career Woman” magazine, Winter 1992

What if I Don’t Want to Write Software Manuals?

by Brenda P. Huettner

Technical communications is more than writing for computers. In fact, the Society for Technical Communications (STC, an international professional group) found that in 1990 less than 60% of their members surveyed worked in the software industry. The rest worked in other fields such as electronics, research, or engineering.

Hot Industries

Some of the areas with the most opportunities today are the military, Biotechnology, education, and visual instruction.

Military

The military employs hundreds of thousands employees, all of whom must perform jobs in the approved military way. How do they know what the approved way is? By reading military Standard Operating Procedures and other technical manuals. These cover everything from opening and closing an office to proper storage of food. In addition, there are thousands of government contractors who must also create proposals and instruction manuals according to military specifications. There is work for anyone familiar with the military style.

Biotechnology

Another growing field is the medical and biotechnology industry. These companies have to create documents that follow strict government guidelines, which usually requires all kinds of documentation - directions for assembly, use, training and maintenance. According to Carol Szatkowski, President of Clear Point Consultants (a Boston-based firm specializing in Technical Communications placement), "This is a new, big area - even more in demand than the DoD (Department of Defense) work."

Education

All companies have to train their employees, and some large companies have entire departments devoted to training. Other companies specialize in teaching courses to business people. Corporate Class, a Virginia firm, conducts classes in subjects such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. Jean Piedmont, the President of Corporate Class, says "The responsibility for getting the information out is on us - we have to open up their minds and pour it in." Her advice for aspiring trainers - "Work for free if you have to, but get experience in the corporate world. In education today, everyone has a college degree. You need something to set you apart."

Visual Instruction

The term "visual instruction" includes everything that appears on a screen - from on-line computer systems to instructional videos. This work often involves writing scripts or designing images that appear when a person uses a computer. According to Clear Point Consultant's Szatkowski, "A lot of companies are really keen on making the entire product geared toward teaching something." This includes every word and image that appears on any type of screen. "Right now, there is a real strong interest in people with instructional design experience" - people who understand how adults learn, and can incorporate that knowledge into a product. "These skills are going to be even more relevant as companies get increasingly involved in multimedia."

Variety of Jobs

The STC describes their members as "the bridge between those who create ideas and those who use them." This includes not only writers, but also editors, artists, and production specialists.

Editor

Large companies often hire editors for documentation departments. This requires great attention to detail, a good sense of the English language, and the ability to meet deadlines. It does not always require an in-depth understanding of the technology involved, since the documents you are editing are usually supposed to be clear enough for a novice to understand.

Graphic Artist/Designer

In almost every television manual (or refrigerator or desk lamp), there is a drawing of the object being described. Often, there are as many illustrations as there are pages. The graphic artist is responsible for capturing accurately the technical subject, and highlighting the portion being discussed in the text. In addition, someone has to decide on the page design, the format, the cover, and the overall presentation for every document. This is often the writer, but very large documentation departments may employ design specialists. These people know what looks best, and how to portray a given message without words.

Production

Once the text and graphics are complete, a manual is still only partially complete. Someone has to assemble all the pieces into the finished product by performing conversion, typesetting, pasteup, proofreading, and general production duties. This may involve working with vendors, establishing budgets, evaluating binder formats, and arranging for shipment. Like editing, this type of position requires good organization, attention to detail, and the ability to meet deadlines.