I didn’t even KNOW I was a Technical Writer. You see, back in 1995, I’d been brought on as a TEMP to answer merger-related email for a bank. When the bank’s Online Customer Service department suddenly faced an external audit, they asked me to document all the internal procedures. A few weeks later, as that […]
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Tag Archives: technicalwriting
A Technical Writer’s Christmas List
December 22, 2010 
16 Comments
I saw Santa in the mall this weekend. The line was long, but I THOUGHT about it. I know I’m too old. I know he would NOT appreciate me on his lap. I get all that. But I WANT stuff. I want Technical Documentation stuff. Not products, mind you: I want FUNCTIONALITY! I know the […]
Continue readingDocumentation as a Support Channel
December 14, 2010 6 Comments
The technical communication profession collectively peers through a window of opportunity. I work at the intersection of technical communication and customer service. My digital strategy tasks focus on the efficient delivery of effective content. So when I see someone who truly understands how valuable quality content can be to a customer, I jump for joy. […]
Continue readingRenewable Documentation in a Disposable World
November 15, 2010 12 Comments
Recently, the Lead Change Group invited me to share my thoughts on Renewable Leadership in a Disposable World. In the post, I explain how several 20th-Century organizations fixated on quarterly profits at the expense of their own long-term viability. There are many differences between the disposable and renewable organization and I won’t repeat them all […]
Continue readingRelentless
September 30, 2010 12 Comments
A friend once referred to me as “relentless”, as in “unwilling to relent.” We’re about to find out if this is so… Many of you know, I’ve been just a little bit excited about LavaCon these past few months. I have been waiting to LiveBlog LavaCon like skaters wait for the olympics, like flower shops […]
Continue readingMusical Chairs
September 13, 2010 8 Comments
The room spins as you march in a circle, laughing to a lively tune. As your mind wanders from dizzy repetition, you return to reality with a start: The music has STOPPED! Throwing yourself backward toward a chair, you meet the ground with a rude thud. With a sheepish grin, you slowly look up to […]
Continue readingUnlocking Hidden Levels
September 6, 2010 14 Comments
Who doesn’t love a secret passageway? The thrill of gaining access to concealed corridors is found in so many childhood tales, from Narnia’s Wardrobe to Hogwart’s train station. By using social media tools to live-blog and live-tweet industry events, we “unlock” these “hidden levels” for our peers.
Continue readingLavaCon: Cooler than Star Wars?
August 31, 2010 3 Comments
Earlier this month, I took my 11-year old son and his best buddy to Star Wars Celebration V. For Junior Jedi like them, this was a long awaited, can’t miss event. All their heroes were in one place. George Lucas, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were there: Not to mention the entire voice acting cast […]
Continue readingThe Sky Is Falling!
July 21, 2010 3 Comments
I feel like Chicken Little. I’ve been clucking about the radical changes heading toward the Technical Writing profession for as long as I’ve been in the field. For the past 15 years, I’ve been alerting teams about changes heading their way. I’ve been spurring them on to make the necessary preparations. In the 1990s, I […]
Continue readingIf Chewbacca had an iPhone
July 12, 2010 11 Comments
If only there had been an Apple store next to the Mos Eisley cantina. If Chewbacca had owned an iPhone 4, the Empire may have never had their chance to strike back.
Continue reading- Don’t let doubt drown your gift
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