STC, Pittsburgh, and technical writing

STC, Pittsburgh, and technical writing

Then and NowJanis Ramey

Pittsburgh then –’60s & 70sPittsburgh then –’60s & 70s

Nuclear Metals Chemicals Engineering

Pittsburgh now …Pittsburgh now …

Electronics Software Financial Medical Environmental

Employers then …Employers then …

Large corporations (Westinghouse, USSteel, etc.)

Large government agencies(Department of Energy)

now …now … Startups and small companies

Research then …Research then …

Big research centers (Gulf, Westinghouse, Alcoa, Mellon

Institute, Bureau of Mines, US Steel, Crucible, etc.)

and now …and now … Very few research centers or much smaller

Corporate locations then …Corporate locations then …

Downtown was for the movers and shakers, suburbs for nerdy engineers.

and now …and now … More corporate headquarters are in industrial

parks along with the nerds.

STC Pittsburgh chapter then …STC Pittsburgh chapter then …

40 to 80 members

and now …and now … About 192 members

(down from about 220 a year ago)

STC Pittsburgh then …STC Pittsburgh then …

Mostly men, mostly in their 40s and 50s

and now …and now … Majority are women in their late 20s to mid 40s

STC worldwide then …STC worldwide then …

about 5000 members 20 years ago

and now …and now …22,222 members worldwide

Median salariesMedian salaries

$34,000

$59,700

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

15 years ago 2002

Job stability then …Job stability then …

STC members were typically established in their careers and settled in long-time positions

and now …and now … Typically move from company to company and

sometimes to free-lancing

Technical writers have changedTechnical writers have changed

Skilled communicators Not subject matter experts Write about today's technologies Better prepared More willing to learn new technologies Much more tool oriented

Technical writers then …Technical writers then …

Most had engineering background.

Most could be considered subject matter experts who happened to end up writing.

Technical writers now …Technical writers now …

Most have communications background.

Although many still come from technical fields such as computer science, engineering, or medicine.

Editing then … Editing then …

Some STC members edited reports, technical papers, and technical books.

Now…Now… Not many STC members are editors.

Publications depts -- 60s & 70sPublications depts -- 60s & 70s

Most STC members were publications department managers (especially from Westinghouse).

And the men who worked for them.

Publications departments then…Publications departments then… Typically included

Managers Assistants Writers Editors Proofreaders Layout and graphic artists Drafters

As well as … Typists (later word

processing centers) Reproduction centers Photo studios Genographics (slide

making machines) Secretaries and clerks

Few pubs departments now …Few pubs departments now …

Most writers work in very small groups Are dispersed into engineering or programming

departments Or are completely independent

Now the writers do it allNow the writers do it all

Including troubleshooting software

Production then …Production then …

Writers seldom did any production work other than – Type a draft manuscript (if they could type at all)Proofread galleys or typescripts produced by

someone else

Production now …Production now … Writers now –

write type edit proofread create layouts insert graphics

As well as – Program in HTML and

JAVA Design interfaces Convert files Attach help files to

applications Produce CDs, webpages,

and other multimedia products

Graphics then …Graphics then …

Layout artists worked at drafting tables pasting text and graphics.

Graphics now …Graphics now … Writers often produce their own graphics –

Flowcharts

Drawings

Photographs

Data displays

Screen images

Even AutoCAD drawings

Publishing then …Publishing then …

In the 1960s and 70s, a production manager took care of publishing the work.

End products limitedto print media andvideo

Publishing now may mean –Publishing now may mean – Sending an electronic file to a pre-press company for

film Overseeing the printing process Making sure the document works on a company intranet Creating an interactive CD Converting to online help Extracting text from a database using XML Or a host of other complicated distribution schemes

…and the writers do it all…and the writers do it all

Usually without clerical help Usually as a lone writer

Then we produced (and continue to produce)Then we produced (and continue to produce)

Instructions Reference information Procedures Reports Proposals Technical papers

Newsletters Magazine and journal

articles Presentations Sales support materials Training materials

Today we also produce -- Today we also produce --

Websites Searches Databases Interactive Sound Video

And …And …

Improvements in product design and packaging Therefore need less documentationEspecially involved in improving computer interface

design

And …And …

On-line documentation (no printed book) On-line help

And …And …

Interactive training materials (on CD or web using multimedia)

Kiosks (e.g., events and hotel information in

lobbies of hotels or medical information in hospital information centers)

And …And … Personalized information on demand

Used car pricing on the webFinancial records, billing, and accounts

Information databases Medical diagnostic softwareTechnical support organizationsPricing and ordering information delivered on CD,

web, or kiosk