RE: Certification: Ernest and Scribbler

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

 Wade Courtney wrote:

> Well, so far whether or not I am a good technical writer has been the
> subjective opinion of someone else. As with many other 
> certifications, just
> because a person has one, doesn't mean they are any good. 
> There are a number
> of doctors, lawyers, mechanics, and various other careers that have
> certifications, yet there are many of those same people who I 
> wouldn't let
> touch me or my car.
> 
> We could do what law enforcement does. Along with the skills 
> part of being a
> tech writer (writing, tool knowledge, English knowledge) 
> maybe we should
> include a psychological evaluation in front of a panel of experts to
> determine if we have the personality to be tech writers.

Perhaps TWs should have live-fire exercises and top-/c/o/p/-scribe 
competitions. 

You get dinged for each "bad guy" that you miss, and for 
each innocent bystander that you hit. 

In the elimination round, two (or more) TWs are tossed into 
the maze from different directions, each dressed such that 
the other(s) recognize her/him as "bad guy". Live rounds 
are used, of course.

The competitions would take place every three years, and 
the outcome (who won, who lost) would influence the traits 
that were tested and valued in the certification testing.


Sure, there are flaws in that model, but would it be any 
less effective or entertaining than the model whereby 
sit-down tests are devised and administered by bureau'rats 
driven by politicians? 

  - Kevin

(Hands up, anybody who believes a certification program 
would NOT become controlled by people whose primary 
leanings and strengths and motivations are political.)

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