Re: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

[Cody Jones <CODY -dot- J -at- EWORLD -dot- COM>]

Date:    Sun, 3 Dec 1995 15:13:53 -0500
From:    "Michael J. Maloney" <MMaloney -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Subject: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

In a recent post, a Mr. Guy McDonald (guym -at- daka -dot- com) stated the following:

>I ve bid the job at $800,000, was awarded the contract, then march off to
assemble my team of writers, graphics weenies & editors.

Referring to technical graphics communicators as weenies is a fatal mistake.
>Oh thank you for championing our cause. While I have a minor in English and
have earned my living the last several years as a writer (technical and
marketing), my BS degree is in Graphic Design. Yes, it is not only POSSIBLE
but recommended to have a degree in graphic design if you will work with
document design. I worked for 15 years as a designer before throwing in the
towel because I couldn't take any more comments such as:
"Oh, you just get to sit around and draw all day, how do I get a job like
that?"
"My little niece does cartoons, can you use them in one of our brochures?"
And so on and so on. . .
The fact of the matter is, I would quite often recieve illegible pencil copy
and have to create something visually stimulating, not to mention functional
and reproducible. I worked very hard to earn my degree and the respect of my
colleagues and was very much disheartened, not to mention disillusioned, when
I entered the real world. Thank you for helping to share the truth about the
value of designers.
> The most redeeming experience I ever ahd was when a colleague came to me
asking if I would design a flyer, since he'd heard I was a graphic designer.
After I did the flyer in about half an hour, he decided it must be very easy.
He then attempted to create his own announcement the next time he needed a
flyer, and within 15 minutes remarked that it took MUCH more skill to
attractively arrange information than he ever could have realized. He found a
new respect for the profession; one which I hope Mr. McDonald comes to know
some day.

We are, as I ve stated before, supposed to work together as technical
communicators with a common respect for each others skills and contribution.
Only then can _any_ of us call ourselves technical communicators.

Mr. McDonald s opinion is his own. I understand that. However, I have studied
the  their ONLY drawers  attitude many writers have towards their fellow
communication professionals - technical illustrators.

I also work in AutoCad and have "drawn" many a complex technical
illustrations. I would like to see an untrained person create the 15 - 20
illustrations per week that I had to create in my last job; illustrations of
machinery based on only the most rudimentary engineering schematics.

I would appreciate a direct apology to myself, and to all technical
illustrators. Enough is enough. In response (in part) to this pervasive
attitude, a team of veteran technical illustrators and technical publication
managers (from around the world) have united to form the ISTI (International
Society for Technical Illustrators).

For more information:

http://www.epic-isti.com/epic

>I'll viist your site, good luck, thanks again, and more power to you.

Michael J. Maloney
President, EPIC Creative Services
President, ISTI (International Society for Technical Illustrators)
2230 Lyndhurst Avenue
Charlotte, NC  28203   USA
V: 1-704-523-6907
F: 1-704-522-6403
E: mmaloney -at- aol -dot- com
E: mmaloney -at- epic-isti -dot- com
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