The Brave New World of Technical
Communication
Joe Gollner | @joegollnerManaging Director
Gnostyx Research [email protected]
Sign Posts on the Journey
A Digital Revolution
Technical Communicationin a Digital Age
A Brave New World
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A Digital RevolutionTimes are a-changin’
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Digital Technology
Digital Strategy
Digital Disruption
Digital Economy
Digital Society
Digital Natives
Digital CompetitorsDigital Skills
Digital Entrants
Digital Agility
Digital Talent
Digital Traction
Digital Metrics
Digital Operations
Digital Product Lifecycle
Digital WorkforceDigital Process
Digital Design
Digital Literacy
Digital Maturity
Digital Impact
Digital Transformation
Digital OfferingsDigital Channels
Digital Information Digital Platform
Digital Services
Digital Unicorns
Digital Organizations
Digital Innovation
Digital Lifecycle
Digital Monetization
Digital Capabilities
Digital World
Digital Awareness
Digital Consumption
Digital Leaders
Digital Business
Digital CultureDigital Capital
Digital Differentiation
Digital Flexibility
Digital Governance
Digital Partners
Digital Customers
Digital Industry
Digital Future
Digital Ecosystems
Digital Jobs
Digital Manufacturing
Digital Value
Digital Supply Chain
Digital MindDigital Laggards
Digital Content
Digital Competence
Digital EraDigital Framework
Digital Revolution
Digital Media
Digital Networks
Digital Communities
Digital Tribes
Digital Ventures
Digital Experiment
Digital Enterprise
Digital Nomads
Digital Crowd
Perspectives on the Revolution
Digital Technology
Digital Disruption
Digital Enterprise
Digital Workforce
Digital Transformation
Digital Agility
Digital Information
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Digital Technology
Digital Representations of Everything
Products
Processes
Customers
Working with Digital Representations
Interpretation
Integration
Coordination
Control
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The Evolution of Technology
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Digital DisruptionDigital Technology
Changes things
Everything is digitally• Analyzed
• Monitored
• Redesigned
• Recreated
• Controlled
Disruption is the EffectLegacy practices threatened
Legacy interests endangered
Sounds scary because it is…@joegollner 8
Disruption & Barnaclization
BarnaclizationThe accrual of individually beneficial innovations that progressively degrade overall performance
Universal fate of all systems• Organizations
• Processes
• Technologies
• Ideas
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Disruptionbecomes anecessarycorrective
Digital Disruption Full Disclosure
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The Content Philosopherwww.gollner.ca
Digital Disruptor
@joegollner
Digital Enterprise
End-to-EndDigitization
Cyber-Human-Physical Systems
Completely Virtualized
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Digital Workforce
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Distributed & Mobile
Diverse & multi-generational
Bring-Your-Own-Device(BYOD)
Digital Transformation (DX)
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Everything is rethought – starting with the customer
Digital TransformationAbsolute Focus on the Customer
Who do they need to do?
Has always been true
When reintroducedShakes up assumptions
Scatters sacred cows
Awakens the elephant in the room
Shatters barnacles
Ignites resistance
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The Rise of Customer Experience
Digital Agility
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Outcome ofDigital Transformationis the pursuit ofDigital Agility
The ability to change on a dime to address a new customer need
To exploit an new opportunity
To respond to a new threat
The Dawn of Digital Information
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Information becomes fully digital
Information processes become fully digital
Calls for fully digital content
X
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Embracing Change
Technical Communicationin a Digital Age
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The Ask of Technical Communicators
Help us to really understand what users are trying to do
Help users to meet these goals using what we provide them
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A Two-way Street
Facilitating a dialogue between User Tasks and Product Design
In one direction, it is about communicating information about the product or serviceto customers & users
In the other, it is communicatingdetails about user tasks back toproduct design
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Leveraging User Task Insight
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Design
Development
Delivery
Customer Use
Historical Model Digital ModelProduct Lifecycle The Relative Investment in
Communication Activities & Deliverables
Significant increase in investment
from Historical to Digital Models
[e.g., 270%]
Expanding the Spectrum of Impact
In the Digital Enterprise, communication is everything
Connecting the enterprise to its customers & users
Connecting partner enterprises
Connecting specialties within the enterprise
Connecting communication specialties
Connecting communication channels & technologies
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Diversify or Dubai
Not that Dubai is a bad place
But one organization was going to relocate all Technical Communication functions to Dubai for tax reasons
Emergency Response: diversify communication activities into businessanalysis, sales, internal procedures…
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Learning the Hard Way
A Brave New WorldWhen you come to a fork in the road, take it!
Yogi Berra
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A Positive Outlook
The Digital Revolution is upon us
It will hit you if it has not already
There is more work for communicators in this Brave New World – not less
The changes required really play to core strengths of communicators
The basics of making connections
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Comments | Questions | Rebuttals
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Making Connections:
Joe GollnerManaging DirectorGnostyx Research [email protected]@gnostyx@joegollner
Content Philosopher Blog:www.gollner.ca