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R O B H A N N AS T C C E R T I F I C AT I O N C O M M I S S I O N V I C E - C H A I R

AT T H E S P E C T R U M C O N F E R E N C EA P R I L 2 3 , 2 0 1 2

Certified Professional Technical Communicator™ CPTC Program

Certification and Professions

A profession is marked by three essential pillars: A code of ethics A unique body of knowledge Certification of qualified practitioners

Certification Drivers

Legitimize the contributions of, and respect for, our profession

Establish uniform worldwide performance standardsIncrease the employability and earning potential for

certified practitionersReduce risk for employersSatisfy employers’ expectations

Value to Employers

Employers find that certified professionals are more often competent and successful than uncertified ones

Employers spend less to hire, train, and replace certified employees

Therefore, employers seek out and pay more for certified professionals

Guiding Principles

Certification is voluntaryCertification focuses on

uniform areas of practice where technical communicators provide unique value

Applicants must meet prerequisites to be eligible for certification

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and experience

Assessment involves a variety of methods

A core certification provides the basis for certification growth

Applicants must agree to adhere to the STC Code of Ethics

Opportunities are provided to applicants for remediation

Once granted, certification must be maintained

Certification Milestones

First discussed in 1964 First STC-sanctioned work: Ad Hoc Committee on

Certification in 1975 Six membership surveys: 1975, 1981, 1983, 1984,

1995, 1997 Certification RFP issued in 1985 Feasibility study commissioned in 1998 Began work on Body of Knowledge (BOK) in 2007 Benchmarking report on professions in 2008 Value proposition adopted in 2009 Approved by STC Board on 30 April 2010 First certifications issued: 2012

STC Certification Commission

Incorporated in 2011, in Virginia, as a 501(c)(6) organization, subsidiary of STC

Responsible for establishing certification policies and overseeing operations

Adjudicates appeals and professional conduct reviews

Separate bylaws, policies, procedures, finances

One “member”—The STC—and two crossover STC commissioners

Steven Jong (Chair) Rob Hanna (Vice Chair) Stephen Murphy (Secretary) Charles Fisher (Treasurer) Saul Carliner Karen Baranich (STC Board) Kathryn Burton (STC CEO)

Development of Evaluation Criteria

Over the summer of 2010, members of the STC Certification Committee met in Fairfax, VA

Sessions were facilitated by Clarence Chaffee, an experienced certification and assessment consultant

The group produced: Profile of a certified Technical Communicator 136 separate elements weighted against a survey of 70 of our

industry’s thought-leaders Scoring criteria needed to demonstrate the required elements

Prerequisite Qualifications

Candidates for certification must Be persons of good character, unencumbered by any

conviction of a felony or indictable offence; outstanding judgment in a civil court for negligence, professional

misconduct, or incompetence; or condition or dependency that would render them incapable of

performing or fulfilling the essential duties of a CPTC. Possess a high school diploma and five years of full-time

employment as a technical communicator Up to two years of work experience may be credited for completion

of approved post-secondary education in a relevant field of study

A Typical Certified Technical Communicator is

A person working in a professional or technical setting, who is able to readily adapt to a new subject area, can select and assess the type and level of communication required to

meet the needs of the intended audience, and support the intended purpose of the information

has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to select and effectively apply the appropriate tools, and plan and execute an information solution within the constraints of

corporate and regulatory requirements and appropriate industry standards

ensures that stakeholders and consumers benefit from the safe, appropriate, and effective use of the subject product or service.

Information design

Areas of Practice

User, task, experience analysis

Process management

Information development

Information production

Portfolio AssessmentThe portfolio assessment is broken into 9 separate submissions used to demonstrate the 136 elements or KSAs (Knowledge/Skills/Abilities)

1. Planning Documentation Projects2. Conducting Research3. Designing Deliverables4. Architecting Information5. Authoring and Composition6. Demonstrating Visual Literacy7. Reviewing, Editing, and Testing8. Managing Content9. Producing Deliverables

Evaluation Process

Application screened by STC officePacket examined by up to three trained evaluators

(who receive honoraria) Under non-disclosure Objective evaluation against established criteria

Fee Schedule

Fees (USD) STC Members Non-Members

Initial Application $99 $125

Portfolio Evaluation $595 $695

Annual Maintenance $49 $69

Recertification (every 3 years) No charge No charge

Certification MarksCertificate

Logo

Designation

Listing on Website

Steven Jong, RTFM

Maintaining Certification

Certification is good for three years

To maintain it, continue your education to maintain current skills or learn new skills, and stay active in field

Reapplication requires proof of attendance

Screened by STC office

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PMP Growth, 1984–2010

2010: 412,000

PMPs

2002: 50,000 PMPs1993:

1000 PMPs

Example of Salary Impact

Expanding Certification Beyond Writers

Areas of practice can be weighted

Specialty certifications (future)

Opportunity for partnerships with other organizations

S T C C E R T I F I C AT I O N C O M M I S S I O NC O N TA C T R O B H A N N A AT r o b @ a s c a n . c a

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , P L E A S E S E E T H E S T C C E R T I F I C AT I O N W E B S I T E AT

h t t p : / / w w w. s t c . o r g / e d u c a t i o n / c e r t i f i c a t i o n / c e r t i fi c a t i o n - m a i n

T H E S E S L I D E S AVA I L A B L E O N S L I D E S H A R E AT h t t p : / / w w w. s l i d e s h a r e . n e t / r h a n n a / s t c - c e r t i f i c a t i on

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