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I like Dave Stewart's response to the "are we good at writing sequential
instructions" thread...
Over time, we each take on various specialized skills for the work we do.
Some are absorbed simply from the nature of the work; some are acquired
through intention, such as training or formal education. The idea that some
of us excel at procedure and others at logic does not point to a deficiency
in our skill set, as Dave's mechanics analogy reveals.
Back when I was a geologist, I spent a good part of my 8-year career knowing
the excruciatingly detailed depositional environment of a particular oil-
and gas-bearing formation in just a few parishes of south Louisiana. I even
published a few papers on it. But the fact that I didn't know much about the
Permian Basin oil fields in West Texas and New Mexico didn't make me any
less a good geologist. It's called specialization. While some may say
"geology is geology no matter where you are," yes, that's true up to a
certain point. But in order to be a productive (i.e., one who can locate oil
and gas) geologist, you have to spend some time understanding the specifics
of the area you are working in.
I see no difference with technical communications. The best "jacks of all
trades" I've ever encountered are seasoned technical writers.
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