professionalizing the tc field lava con_nov 2011

LavaConNovember 2011

So what’s all this about a Technical Communication certification?

Hillary Hart

How does a profession become recognized as such?

• Organizes/develops a Body of Knowledge

• Has strong academic programs

• Has some form of professional certification or licensure

Benefits of TC certification• The profession has long needed recognition and

definition.

• This credential, specifically for technical communicators, should help employers understand what TCers can do.

• Once the program achieves a critical mass of certifications, a TC certification should give a technical and financial edge.

How was the TC Certification program developed?

• STC Certification Committee studied models of certification: e.g., Project Management Institute (PMI)

• Committee included consultant with expertise in setting up certification programs.

• Committee did literature review and job-tasks analysis.

• Committee established key knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) of technical communication; organized them into areas of practice.

How is the program administered?• Certification Commission administers the program.

This commission is legally separate from STC; the Board is completely separate from the STC Board.

• First set of portfolio-evaluators are the seven Commissioners, who developed the evaluation criteria.

• Those who are certified are eligible to become evaluators.

The TC certification is based on five broad areas of practice.

• User/task/experience analysis

• Information design

• Process management

• Information development

• Information production

These areas cover experience with processes and collaboration, as well as with products.

The evaluation is portfolio-based and not just about “products.”• Applicants demonstrate competence in the five areas of

practice via a packet of materials they produce.

• Applicants answer questions about their work practice, processes, and production.

• Technical communicators with widely varying titles have expertise in (at least) those five areas.

• No exam.

All TCers analyze users/stakeholders and negotiate best ways to design, develop, and produce/deliver the information. And manage the whole process.

Analyze userDesign info

Develop infoDeliver info

Manage/Reuse info

Manage the whole processContent StrategistTechnical Writer

Who is eligible?

• Evaluators look for a combination of experience and education in a sliding scale. Scale is definitely tipped toward experience because this certification is not an exam.

• You do NOT have to be an STC member.

Professional certification is not a substitute for an academic degree

• Certification is an additional credential. Training for certification should become part of continuing professional development, not a substitute for gaining the education offered by academic degree programs.

Education and training are a continuum.

Academic certificate or undergraddegree Workplace

training

Graduate degree

Certificationtraining

Professionalcertification