Technical communication involves more than just writing. For this reason, terminology is shifting away from "technical writing" and "technical editing" to the more comprehensive term "technical communication." Likewise, those doing the work often wear many hats, especially at smaller organizations. So the term "technical communicator" brings writers, editors, document project planners and more under one umbrella.
Recently, the Society for Technical Communicators (STC), the professional organization for technical writers, developed a framework and certification process to help standardize the role of the technical communicator. Upon completing the exam, a "Certified Professional Technical Communicator" has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of best practices in technical communication, which are organized into nine core areas of technical communication:
Project Planning
Project Analysis
Content Development
Organizational Design
Written Communication
Visual Communication
Reviewing and Editing Content Management
Production Delivery
I was excited to complete my certification in February 2019. This fall, I'll explore each of these areas in subsequent blog posts. Stay tuned!