The Symbiotic Relationship Between Technical Communication and Technology

By: Edwin Musonye. December 5, 2013 

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the close relationship between Technology and Technical and Professional Communication with a special focus on how technology assists technical communicators to work more effectively either individually or collaboratively. It first strives to lay out the background of what constitutes as the realm of technical communication or; its definition. It further looks at how TPC as any other workplace activity relies on technology to achieve its goals; and then, how advancement in technology has played a major role in the growth of this field. Through acknowledging that the field of Technical and Professional Communication is wide and supports many independent commercial functions such as Marketing, Instruction design, Public relations and Journalism invites this paper to examine how the technological needs of these specializations are challenging TPC. Finally, it examines how TPC has also on its part contributed to the shaping of technology through seeking simplified ways through which to share knowledge among subject matter experts as well as the general public.

Background

Naturally there should be little dispute that Technical and Professional Communication has an almost unalienable relationship with technology. From the broadest and rather abstract viewpoint of Toscano (2012) who emphatically puts it that “All discourse surrounding technology is technical communication.” To the more concrete and practical view that confines technical communication to workplace or consumer oriented communication.

The later viewpoint has proponents such as Markel (2004) who writes “Much of what you read every day- text books, phonebooks, procedures, manuals at the office, environmental impact statements, journal articles, websites, and owner’s manuals for your car- is technical communication.” (p. 4) He further outlines characteristics of technical communication as one that addresses particularreaders, helps readers solve problems, reflects on organizational goals and culture, produced collaboratively and uses designs to enhance readability. (p. 6) It can also be described as “…the exchange of information that helps people interact with technology and solve complex problems.” (Lannon & Gurak, 2011. p.3)

Regardless of which definition one may prefer, a truth remains that technical and professional communication, not only disseminates information about technology, but also relies on technology to disseminate that information. The first one is its core function whilst the second one is its incidental function based on the reality that any modern communication must depend on technology to be effective. Zimmerman & Clark (1987) say technical communication is purposive because it is communication that conveys information about and within its field. In this case whenever it informs about itself, it inescapably, informs about technology.

We may now have an idea of what technical communication is but what is technology? An observable concern is that in spite of technology being comprehensively defined by anthropologists as the sum total of all social customs by which a people manipulate entities and substances of all kinds (Grunlan & Mayers, 1989). Contemporary definition is subtly drifting towards the usage of computers as the sole application befitting the coveted appellation -technology. Jacques (1990) is one of the greatest critic of technology, in his book Technological bluffs he boldly singles out space satellites and computers as the two great collective gadgets that have been overrated by the society. (p. 272) However, given computers have proved to have useful application in the modern workplace that even Jacques (1990) ironically approves and calls it telematics which he describes as the “Totality of services (apart from the telephone and telegraph) which can be served by those who use a network of communications that enables them get information of to do certain tasks i.e. all the new services linked to telecommunications that are in turn linked to computers.”(p. 340) It is fair to give computing its rightful recognition as a key technological advancement of the twenty first century but also to acknowledge that technology manifests in many others ways.

In that light, it’s rather obvious that technical communicators working either as individuals or in teams; actually benefit from using computers. This is seen in their daily tasks of designing documents, online information and more fundamentally, in doing collaborative writing. And furthermore, they are not merely passive consumers and commentators on technology but also they contribute to the development and growth of technology. This is true precisely given that they are intermediaries between the subject matter experts (SME) and the general audience; and subsequently they must provide feedback.

Technology in the work place

As stated above technical and professional communication is a function in modern business alongside others such as accounting, marketing, advertising, inventory control and legal services. It is consequently affected by the general trends, changes and challenges that take place in the entire business environment. Browne (2012) points out the areas of benefit in using computers at the workplace as including automation and improved efficiency, data base technology, printing and publishing technology, communication and significant increase in overall productivity. Under the area of automation he says

   Computers can do repetitive tasks faster and with fewer mistakes than humans, so the first few  
   decades of the development of the computer for business focused mainly on automating a wide
   range of industrial processes. The next step brought PCs as productivity tools and entertainment
   devices to homes and workplaces everywhere. More recent refinements in computers and
   information technology such as mobile devices have led to a host of business- and consumer-
   focused "apps" designed to help people to be more organized, efficient and productive.

There is no doubt that automation has reduced monotony in the workplace and made work more interesting to many workers. But some critics can also argue that typing away on computers the whole day has not solved the repetition that existed during the typewriter period. However, the ability to save work and to do spell checks is advancement.

Marius (2012) is of the observation that over the past 10 to 15 years, technology has drastically changed the attitude and processes of the workplace. She says, “More importantly, the continued evolution of telecoms and IT technology is fuelling the on-going transformation of the business environment to take advantage of available tools and opportunities.” She lists productivity, collaboration, resourcing, interaction and participation, cost management, efficiency and optimization as the main areas of contribution for or using technology or we can say ‘computerization’ in the modern work environment.

This is very true given that businesses are profit driven and will adapt any resource that will give them an edge over the competition. Staying ahead is important to businesses unfortunately we have had occasions in which blind acquisition of technology has brought down businesses for instance Uchumi Supermarkets, a once leading retailing company in Kenya embarked in investing excessively in technology in the late 1990’s a pursuit that brought the company crumbling down.

Also as we praise technology we cannot pretend that we do not see how dangerous nuclear power is proving to be. The Fukushima incident in Japan two years ago and Kyshtym incident in Russia 30 years ago are a few examples of ‘misgivings’of technology.

Advancement in technology and its impact on Technical Communication

The reliance of technical communication on technological development is best captured by proedit.com which reveals that the golden age of technical communication started with the invention of the computer. It records Joseph Chapline writing the first user’s manual in 1949 and that the first advertisement for a technical writer appearing in 1951. It proceeds to disclose that in the 1960’s “The continued growth of technology, particularly in electronics aeronautics, and space industries, created a big upsurge in demand for technical writers” For the future of technical writing it advises that the opportunities are in the web designing and developing of online help systems. “In the future, the web will become the greatest writing library imaginable.” States the websites.

The occupational outlook handbook that outlines careers in United States of America acknowledges that Technical writing jobs are usually concentrated in locations with information technology or scientific and technical research companies such as California and Texas. This may explain why countries that are considered less technologically developed also have low numbers of technical communicators.

In a June discussion on Society for Technical Communication platform on LinkedIn, the question “…which is more key to doing a good job - being technical (knowing the software used to create documents) or being a good writer (having the knowledge to translate technology concepts into useful information)?” solicited exciting responses. At the end of it all, most contributors took the stand that knowledge of tools superseded that of ‘writing’ writer; the overriding view being that in modern times anyone can write therefore the competitive edge is doing it using latest software such as Robohelp, HTML, CSS, XML, Sharepoint and Madcap.

Technical-expressions.com holds the view that

   Technical writing became a genuine profession during and after World War II; especially as war
   time technologies were translated into peacetime use. After the war, General Electric, General
   Motors and Westinghouse all created technical writing departments within their organizations.

But in my view the greatest liability of technology to technical communicators is its seemingly transient nature. Technology is changing rather fast and firms may encounter losses if the technology they bought ends up becoming outdated by newer innovations. A case in point is the adaption of pagers by the medical professionals in the early 1990’s. On its inception, it seemed doctors wouldn’t just survive without them however, in less than five years later nobody still cared about the ‘lifesaving’ gadget. This fast pace of change in technology may create a challenge to technical communication in that the cost of producing the accompanying manuals and documentation is likely to be considered high for manufacturers. They may resort to budgetary cuts that can constrain Techcomm departments in these companies. If that happens, the quality of technical communication work may subsequently fall.

How Technical Communicators have embraced technology in their work

My observation is that technical and professional communication as a work place function has been affected in a great way by technology. This impact is both direct and indirect. In the direct way we see this more when we appreciate that the practice has evolved from technical writing to technical communication. In the technical writing regime, the most important tool could as well have been a sharpened pencil. But as communicators, more is required from Techcomm experts, their products are not just writings but messages which integrate writings and visuals, and furthermore use varied media platforms to disseminate it. In this era of convergence, communicators cannot afford to dismiss information and communication technologies (ICT) available to them. Technology adopted by TPC not only affects the production of their products; but the distribution of those products; and also meet their own social and professional networking and training needs.

Computer programming nowadays calls upon communicators to assist in writing the accompanying documentation. Technical writers are therefore, becoming more acquaint with computer programming. Understanding the knowledge that goes behind creating the programs help these communicators produce better manuals user guides. The other area is in desktop publishing. This activity has made it possible for documents to be designed and printed in the confines of offices. Businesses can nowadays produce high quality marketing materials such as brochures, news-letters and posters internally by using their desk top computers and laser printers.

Document design, whether it is simply typing a letter or creating a detailed report for internal or external clients, computers have simplified the process. The ability to install new software that has extensive capabilities has made businesses to not only manipulate words but also images that go into the documents. Also the making of quality power point presentations assist firms win contracts against their competitors.

Social networking has become an important lifestyle both in business and personal lives. Technical and Professional Communicators are not left behind, social media such as LinkedIn and SkillsPages are assisting these professionals not only to market their services but also to network with likeminded people and organizations as to exchange and share ideas. Others such as Twitter and Face book are good for gauging customer’s sentiments on the organization, the profession or the individual. Personally as a Technical communication student, I have benefited immensely from joining Documentation and Technical Writing Management and Society of Technical Communicators groups on LinkedIn. They have helped stay in touch with the pressing issues affecting the profession.

E-marketing is closely related to social networking. Through having websites, organizations and professionals including technical communicators can market their products and services. This approach has been praised in some quarters as more cost effective and reliable than conventional and traditional ways of marketing. Lannon & Gurak (2011) say “social network sites can help you stay connected.” Still on the benefits of linkages, technical communicators derive the advantage of being able to perform collaborative writing. Through utilizing their networking capabilities, computers are a single most instrumental tool in assisting technical writers meet a fundamental expectation of their work which is to work collaboratively. Either through the use of local area networks that link computers within a single department in an organization or a single company; or wide area networks such as the World Wide Web; it has made it possible for people working in teams to share into the project more effectively. Markel praises the e-mail by saying “… on its part has proved to be fast, cheap, easy to use and digitalized.” (Markel, 2004 pp. 381-387)

Other technologies. In addition to these direct influences to the work of technical communicators, we have indirect technological influences. For instance, technical communicators, just like other workers, will use motor vehicles or trains to get to work. Travel using airplanes to attend seminars for training or consulting opportunities. In their places of work, they will take an elevator, use a coffee maker or a microwave and enjoy air conditioning facilities. These technological advances, though not directly related to the profession of techcomm experts, may assist in boosting morale and subsequently their output.

Conclusion

There is therefore very little doubt that technical communication and technology work hand in hand. Dr. Muzur (2013) laments how she finds that so many people don’t understand the difference between communication and communications. She differentiates the two as “Communications [with an S] is a system for transmitting information – think telephone, TV, fiber optics. Communications is technology. Your cable guy – he’s a communications professional. Communication [without an S] involves individuals exchanging messages. Communication is human. It’s people.” This distinction helps show how TPC is communication that employs communications. They will use telephones, fax, cellphones, photocopiers, scanners and laminators in their line of work.

TPC specialists just like in other occupations require getting employment. The modern trends in job hunting and head hunting are fast shifting to online platforms. Therefore resources such as Brighter Monday and SkillsPages are taking a central role in linking job seekers and employers. TPC professionals will need to take advantage of these developments and post their resume to prospective employers if they are to survive.

Additionally, technical communicators as consumers of technology can also shape the way it takes, for example, if technical communicators are not satisfied with the way HTML creates websites, they may share their concerns with computer programmers who may develop a better product to meet their needs. Also since they act as mediators between the users and the engineers, technical communicators will help in supplying the most wanted feedback to the engineers as to design and produce better goods. In this way technical and professional communicators shape which way technological advancement takes.

Finally, it is wise for TPC professionals to adopt technology as their best friend however; it must be handled with care since it can be abused or can be dangerous. Knowledge of ethics and crisis communication will come in handy in assisting them deal with temptations of wasting time on unnecessary chats, plagiarism, blindly investing in technology, compromising improvisation and innovation just for the sake of catching up with the latest fads and becoming lazy through leaving others to develop technology for us; as well as writing better manuals and instructions to deal with proper usage of technology and disaster management. Paradoxically, within these challenges, lie the numerous opportunities available to the field of technical communication.

References

Browne, C. (2012) How Have Computers Changed the Workplace? Retrieved on 11
       November 2013 from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/computers-changed-workplace-
       2197.html

Cooper, C. (1994). Technology and innovation in the international economy. Vermont USA:
       Edward  Elgar Publishing Company.

Grunlan, S. & Mayers, M (1989) Cultural Anthropology: A Christian perspective. USA: Grand   
       Rapids Zonndervan History of technical Communication. Retrieved on 22, September 2013 from
       http:// www.proedit.com/history-of-technical-writing/

Jacques, E. (1990) The Technological bluff. (G. Bromiley, Trans.) USA: Wm. B. Eerdmans  
       Publishing Co.

Lannon, J. M. & Gurak, L. J. (2011). Technical Communication. (12 Ed) New Jersey: Pearson.

Marius, M. (2012) 6 ways technology is changing the way we do business. ? Retrieved on 11
       November 2013 from http://www.ict-pulse.com/2012/03/6-ways-technology-is-changing- the-
       way-we-do-business/

Markel, M.(2004). Technical Communication. (7th Ed) Boston USA: Bedford.Proedit.com.

Mazur, M. (2013). The huge difference between Communication and Communications Retrieved on
       24 November 2013 from www.drmichellemazur.com/2013/03/difference- between-
       communication-communications.html

Occupational outlook handbook. Retrieved on 22, September 2013 from
       http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Media-and-Communication/Technical-writers.htm

Technical-expressions.com. A brief history. Retrieved on 22, September 2013 from
       http://www.technical-expressions.com/learn2write/t-writing/abriefhistory.html

Toscano, A. (2012). Marconi's Wireless and the Rhetoric of a New Technology. Retrieved on 10
       September, 2013 from Springer ebooks.

Zimmerman, D. E. & Clark, D. G. (1987). Guide to Technical and Scientific Communication. New
       York: Random House