Career Options and New Directions in Technical Communication
© 2010 Ugur Akinci
Technical communication is a lot more than just “technical writing.” Every year new directions and career options emerge that keep our field fresh and exciting. Here are some of them to consider to redefine and redirect your career:
Distance Education – Specialize in distance education by learning how to put together an online training module; how to story-board an online class. How to develop courses from scratch – versus – how to collaborate with other technical communicators and improve existing material by using PowerPoint, Adobe Captivate, and other platforms.
User Assessment Specialist – Specialize in observing, surveying and analyzing end-user behavior. Solicit feedback from users. Develop and propose strategies for developing “user specs” before a web site is launched or a product is released to the market. Write a cost-profit report (a White Paper, perhaps) of the benefits that such a process would bring.
A-E Presentation Expert – Learn more about the revolutionary “paradigm shift” in the presentation field which replaced the default PowerPoint presentations with the A-E (Assertion-Explanation) model of presenting information. Develop a portfolio of Before-After slides to prove the kind of difference a well-thought-out upgrade would mean for managers, technical communicators and information workers.
Instructional Design – Specialize in online and offline instruction. Apply different scientifically-supported instructional models to deliver conceptual or procedural information. Catapult problem solving and creative thinking to a whole new level by the innovative instructional modules that you develop.
Project Management – Shift to the management side of things by learning how to manage complicated documentation projects that require advanced planning, detailed division of labor and task assignments, and consistent follow up. Learn how to budget things and mediate between parties with conflicting interests. Earn your Masters degree or certificate in documentation management from an accredited institution.
