career development | ComTech Paris Cité

Lyticia KADJITE, Camille KUI, Céline NGUYEN

M2 CTM, Université Paris Cité, July 2023

Abstract

Technical communicators are at the heart of product development. They take on many different roles, but first and foremost they are the instructors, the link between the engineer and the user. For the general public, they transform technical documentation into a language that is structured, clear, precise, and, above all, intelligible to the target audience. But what are the other facets and responsibilities that qualify them as technical communicators?

From word processing to design, from website development to information architecture, technical communicators must be able to handle it all. But how transversal is a technical communicator? Do they take on the job of another profession? Or from other departments? What are the limits of technical communicators and the challenges they may face in their career? How diverse are the tools that a technical communicator must master to help in the design of product documentation? This leads us to the central inquiry of our research: to what extent does the transversality of a technical communicator impact the evolution of the job?

Through the lens of transversality, we aim to provide valuable insights on the advancement of technical communication practices and help professionals thrive. We will also take a look at technical communication as a profession, from its origins to its future, and finish off with some end thoughts about the current professional landscape based on our survey.

Read the full article in PDF: The transversality of a technical communicator

Abstract

When we say someone is creative, we usually refer to their artistic skills. But is that really the only way people can be creative? What about creativity in the workplace? We took an interest in creativity in technical communication, and particularly if there is a discrepancy between how technical writers and the rest of technical communicators perceive their own creativity in the workplace. This paper is based on a survey of 55 technical communicators with various roles within the industry, who were asked about their scope for creativity at work, their personal approach to it, as well as its impact in building their career.
The results allowed us to determine how technical communicators define creativity, if they view themselves as creative and the tools they use at work. Our study suggests that there is a strong link between the feelings of creativity and flexibility. Associating creativity with innovation, the diversification of missions and tools at work inspire professionals to develop new solutions and skills.

ComTech Paris Cité

Research in Technical Communication at Paris Cité University

Tag Archives: career development

The transversality of a technical communicator

Abstract

What Inhibits or Enhances Creativity in Technical Communication?

Abstract