IT Curious? Resources For “Tecchy” Tech Writers

A confession
Periodically, I go through what might be called a situational identity crisis--that is, I find myself working in a capacity that represents a big departure from “tech writing.” I do some basic programming, for example, and wonder “am I still a technical communicator?” Or, at a gathering, someone asks what I do, and after telling them “I’m a technical writer” I answer the standard puzzled look by explaining that I analyse software requirements and code web pages...only to realise that what I’ve said doesn’t sound like technical writing at all, even to me. I spend my days writing stuff, sure, and it’s usually of a technical nature...but my heart gets racing and my eyes light up when I get to do the things that are more “technical” than “communicating.” And professionally, I am increasingly likely to be assigned to (or volunteer for) projects that use my tech writer hat only peripherally to whatever else I am doing--my exhilaration at a nerdy challenge has not gone unnoticed by my boss. Am I a traitor to the Society for Technical Communication cause? I don’t think so, and I suspect that I am not alone.

Is this you?
It’s okay to admit--you’re among friends. Perhaps you’ve felt this way, too. That sometimes tehnical writing gets a little, well, dull, and you start to wonder whether there isn’t something ...more. A change. A challenge. A side of you that you’re not expressing. Hey, it happens to the best of us. No shame in it. But what can you do, when the daily routine gets too routine, or when the siren call of software debugging beckons? The good news is, there’s help. You can get in touch with your inner geek, and it won’t cost you a thing. The web is full of resources that can help you to learn new skills and embrace the tecchy you, in the privacy of your own home.

w3schools.com - The best place to start. w3schools has web tutorials in all the big web languages, plus cut-and-play examples and self-quizzes-- real knowledge, no training budget required.

sqatester.com - A comprehensive overview of software quality assurance (SQA) and testing. The tutorial links aren’t much, but there’s a lot of useful info throughout the site, in bite-sized pieces.

lisa.org - LISA (Localization Industry Standards Association) offers free PDF copies of the book “"Software Testing and Internationalization”, a valuable intro to software testing whether localization is an issue or not. Learn basic testing concepts AND apply them to your documentation as well.

boxesandarrows.com - An online journal for “bringing architecture and design to the digital landscape”, the Boxes and Arrows site contains a selection of articles that describe the nuts and bolts as well as the finer points of usability and information architecture. Where GUIs meet documentation...a fine blend of the technical and the writerly.

learn.perl.org - Perl has a special place in my heart. It’s a quirky, friendly little language, which takes full advantage of the fact that there’s more than one way to do everything...if you’re a noncomformist, this is your programming language. It’s simple and fun to pick up, and this site has scads of material, from the full text of books (Acrobat 5.0 required) to mailing lists aimed at all levels of expertise.

I see that our time is up for this session
Friends and I joke that the term “tech writer” has become meaningless, as the line between technical communications and other fields becomes increasingly blurred. A lot of tech commers are closet computer nerds, technophiles and geeks, and what’s more, I think it’s time we embrace that side of ourselves, both to gain skills that make us more broadly marketable, and to expand the image of our discipline. Take the time to nurture your pocket-protector side--you’ll be a better person, and a better technical communicator.

(Got suggestions? I want to spark discussion--think of this as an online encounter group, and share your secret tech vices. Click the Comment button to list your favorite tech education resources--after all, studies show that one in every ten tech writers is a secret geek. We’ve all gotta stick together.)

Lisa Woods is a consultant to the pharmaceutical and insurance industries who specializes in computer system validation, regulatory� compliance, and making unwieldy documentation manageable, useful, and compliant. Contact Lisa .

More articles about Quality/Six Sigma : Technical Writing