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STC, Pittsburgh, and technical writing
STC, Pittsburgh, and technical writing
Then and NowJanis Ramey
Pittsburgh then –’60s & 70sPittsburgh then –’60s & 70s
Nuclear Metals Chemicals Engineering
Pittsburgh now …Pittsburgh now …
Electronics Software Financial Medical Environmental
Employers then …Employers then …
Large corporations (Westinghouse, USSteel, etc.)
Large government agencies(Department of Energy)
now …now … Startups and small companies
Research then …Research then …
Big research centers (Gulf, Westinghouse, Alcoa, Mellon
Institute, Bureau of Mines, US Steel, Crucible, etc.)
and now …and now … Very few research centers or much smaller
Corporate locations then …Corporate locations then …
Downtown was for the movers and shakers, suburbs for nerdy engineers.
and now …and now … More corporate headquarters are in industrial
parks along with the nerds.
STC Pittsburgh chapter then …STC Pittsburgh chapter then …
40 to 80 members
and now …and now … About 192 members
(down from about 220 a year ago)
STC Pittsburgh then …STC Pittsburgh then …
Mostly men, mostly in their 40s and 50s
and now …and now … Majority are women in their late 20s to mid 40s
STC worldwide then …STC worldwide then …
about 5000 members 20 years ago
and now …and now …22,222 members worldwide
Median salariesMedian salaries
$34,000
$59,700
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
15 years ago 2002
Job stability then …Job stability then …
STC members were typically established in their careers and settled in long-time positions
and now …and now … Typically move from company to company and
sometimes to free-lancing
Technical writers have changedTechnical writers have changed
Skilled communicators Not subject matter experts Write about today's technologies Better prepared More willing to learn new technologies Much more tool oriented
Technical writers then …Technical writers then …
Most had engineering background.
Most could be considered subject matter experts who happened to end up writing.
Technical writers now …Technical writers now …
Most have communications background.
Although many still come from technical fields such as computer science, engineering, or medicine.
Editing then … Editing then …
Some STC members edited reports, technical papers, and technical books.
Now…Now… Not many STC members are editors.
Publications depts -- 60s & 70sPublications depts -- 60s & 70s
Most STC members were publications department managers (especially from Westinghouse).
And the men who worked for them.
Publications departments then…Publications departments then… Typically included
Managers Assistants Writers Editors Proofreaders Layout and graphic artists Drafters
As well as … Typists (later word
processing centers) Reproduction centers Photo studios Genographics (slide
making machines) Secretaries and clerks
Few pubs departments now …Few pubs departments now …
Most writers work in very small groups Are dispersed into engineering or programming
departments Or are completely independent
Now the writers do it allNow the writers do it all
Including troubleshooting software
Production then …Production then …
Writers seldom did any production work other than – Type a draft manuscript (if they could type at all)Proofread galleys or typescripts produced by
someone else
Production now …Production now … Writers now –
write type edit proofread create layouts insert graphics
As well as – Program in HTML and
JAVA Design interfaces Convert files Attach help files to
applications Produce CDs, webpages,
and other multimedia products
Graphics then …Graphics then …
Layout artists worked at drafting tables pasting text and graphics.
Graphics now …Graphics now … Writers often produce their own graphics –
Flowcharts
Drawings
Photographs
Data displays
Screen images
Even AutoCAD drawings
Publishing then …Publishing then …
In the 1960s and 70s, a production manager took care of publishing the work.
End products limitedto print media andvideo
Publishing now may mean –Publishing now may mean – Sending an electronic file to a pre-press company for
film Overseeing the printing process Making sure the document works on a company intranet Creating an interactive CD Converting to online help Extracting text from a database using XML Or a host of other complicated distribution schemes
…and the writers do it all…and the writers do it all
Usually without clerical help Usually as a lone writer
Then we produced (and continue to produce)Then we produced (and continue to produce)
Instructions Reference information Procedures Reports Proposals Technical papers
Newsletters Magazine and journal
articles Presentations Sales support materials Training materials
Today we also produce -- Today we also produce --
Websites Searches Databases Interactive Sound Video
And …And …
Improvements in product design and packaging Therefore need less documentationEspecially involved in improving computer interface
design
And …And …
On-line documentation (no printed book) On-line help
And …And …
Interactive training materials (on CD or web using multimedia)
Kiosks (e.g., events and hotel information in
lobbies of hotels or medical information in hospital information centers)
And …And … Personalized information on demand
Used car pricing on the webFinancial records, billing, and accounts
Information databases Medical diagnostic softwareTechnical support organizationsPricing and ordering information delivered on CD,
web, or kiosk