Being
a technical communicator by training and job description, I oftentimes
encounter many people who expect me to be highly mesmerised with technology. I
inevitably break hearts (of some) when I dispel common untruths held about
technology and technical communication.
1. Technology is
not only about computers and computing
Occasionally,
I take time to explain that a simple match that lights when struck against a
matchbox is technology; a candle, a pencil and a hair comb are technologies. Technology is not only about computers
and computing.
2. Technology enhances
efficiency, but doesn’t automatically bring excellence
I
strongly support the view that technology brings efficiency to what you do, but
doesn’t bring excellence. If you produce low quality products, it’ll help you
increase the output of the bad product. However, if you produce high quality
products, it’ll similarly enlarge the good output. The ‘trash in equals trash
out’ wisdom doesn’t apply to just computing - rather, it applies to all
technologies.
3. Technical
communicators (can) only document /write for software and computer products
Technical
communication covers a wide scope of knowledge and professional fields. Thus,
there is technical communication in Economics, Business and Government,
Medicine, Law, Education and others. Well-trained technical communicators know
how to obtain resources they need to write authoritatively on the subject
matters they write on.
There
is little argument that the computing industry has offered lots of
opportunities to technical writers/ communicators, but so has other fields.
