Re: Certification vs Help from our members / cross-posted

Subject: Re: Certification vs Help from our members / cross-posted
From: Mary McWilliams Johnson <mary -at- SUPERCONNECT -dot- COM>
Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 00:16:07 -0500

I have, in the past, been a strong advocate for certification for technical
writers. At that time, I was just starting out in the profession and was
motivated by two resentments:

1. I felt my skills were superior to some who had college degrees; however,
I was shut out from some opportunities because I couldn't brandish a
diploma in front of interviewers.

2. I knew some senior tech writers (making top dollar) whose grammar and
punctuation skills were quite poor. Although they were excellent writers
and really turned out the stuff quite rapidly, they couldn't work as lone
practitioners because they needed a good editor to clean up after them.

Later, that all became moot once I started getting jobs based on my prior
performance, so my academic credentials were not questioned. However, as I
have debated the issue with others, some sticky issues arise:

- What organization or government entity does the certification? Apparently
the STC doesn't want the responsibility.

- Even if we could find an appropriate "judging" organization, how do we
know that the individuals who judge our abilities will not be swayed by
their own biases?

- How will they know how good we are? What kinds of tests could they give
that would reveal our talents and skills? (I rather think it would come
down to getting a bunch of endorsements from previous supervisors or
teachers. And we all know how unfair that practice can be.)

- How often would we have to be re-certified? Obviously technology is
advancing so fast that yesterday's knowledge and skills just won't cut it
today - and tomorrow.

- What criteria will be judged on?
- Grammar, punctuation, and syntax?
- Ability to organize material in a user-friendly manner?
- Ability to phrase our text in a manner suitable to the target audience?
- Our ability to work with SMEs and extricate good info from them?
- Our desktop publishing skills? (Or more particularly, specific programs
like Word or FrameMaker?)
- Our ability to work in a group?
- Our ability to handle turnkey jobs - from concept, through research,
writing, editing, desktop publishing, and illustration?
- Our ability to produce the on-line help as well as the documentation?
- Our ability to produce Web pages? (IMO, we will all need to add this
skill to our bag of tricks)

Today, much is expected of a tech writer, and desktop publishing skills are
every bit as important as the ability to write well. In fact, I can't
remember when a job shop called up and asked if I were a good writer. No,
they ask if I know Word, Robo-Help, or FrameMaker.

Anyway, I'm sure this has all been said before, so why am I ranting like
this? Only because Smokey pushed my buttons, and this whole diatribe gushed
out.

I still might be interested in seeing some sort of certification available
if I thought it could be done fairly and consistently. But considering the
wide variety of skills involved in our profession (or trade), I think it's
unlikely such a program would be practical.

Cordially,

------------------------------º><º------------------------------
Mary McWilliams Johnson
McJohnson Communications
Documentation Specialist
Web Site Design, Development and Graphics
www.superconnect.com
------------------------------º><º------------------------------


At 10:56 AM 8/8/98 -0400, Smokey Lynne L Bare wrote:
>Stan,
>
>Of course, we all know this is a tender issue in our profession, and
>personally, I feel some is based on a little job defensiveness. But
>after speaking nationally at events, I have changed my perspective as to
>the reasons AS WHY the defensiveness is there. When management drives
>the guidelines for job descripts, it is no wonder experienced writers
>shutter when a continuing/upgrade education is suggested when there is
>little time for projects, let alone to have a personal life with
>families.
>
>Professionally, I feel certification is very important and needed.

<snip>

From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000



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