Month: January 2019

Content engineering is the practice of organizing the shape, structure, and application of content, and is broken down into seven primary disciplines.

Source: What Is Content Engineering?

The company Simple [A] has come up with a really good way of explaining the difference between content strategist and content engineering, and how it all fits together. Joe Gollner has been talking about content engineering for years–I think I first heard him talk about it at least five years ago, if not more. (Now, Joe works for Simple [A].)

Based on the definitions given here, I would categorize myself as solidly a content strategist. But I aspire to be a Content Engineer someday! It’s kicking the details of the full experience of content to the fullest. As always, I’m still learning these kinds of details, and always willing to find ways not only to expand my own knowledge, but bring that to what I do for clients.

What do you think? Are you a content strategist, or a content engineer? Or do you aspire to do either of these? Include your comments below.

–TechCommGeekMom

The idea that American workers are being left in the dust because they lack technological savvy does not stand up to scrutiny. Our focus should be on coordination and communication between workers and employers.

Source: The Myth of the Skills Gap – MIT Technology Review

Liz Ryan, a popular HR expert on LinkedIn, posted this article from Fall 2017. The main thing that I gathered from this is that the “lack of job skills” line is hooey.  What’s truly lacking, according to this article’s author, is soft skills like being able to read and write well.  While this is seemingly a universal gap, it’s something that technical communicators should be able to fill the void. High level reading and writing is a huge part of what we do, so this could be a reason why technical communication is growing.

So, when you are job searching and feel like you can’t find anything suitable, don’t despair (or don’t despair completely). If you are a technical writer or communicator, then you have the soft skills that a lot of STEM jobs are lacking, but you have some of that, too. You can fill a need somewhere–it’s just a question of what’s the best fit.

What do you think of this article? Include your comments below.

–TechCommGeekMom

 

Learn why moving from unstructured authoring to structured authoring and using a CCMS is very similar to learning how to cook a meal using an Instant Pot.

Source: How Your CCMS is Just Like an Instant Pot – Content Rules, Inc.

Val Swisher has done it again. You have to understand that over the years, I’ve learned to consider Val’s words as gospel. I’ve used her analogies over many years in discussions and even job interviews to show that I understand how content strategy works, how localization needs to be approached, and so much more.  (Don’t worry–I give her credit for the ideas, since they aren’t mine.)

And now, she’s given us a new analogy that I know I can definitely appreciate, as I am also a relatively new Instant Pot owner, too.  Her analogy is simple, it’s clear, and it’s relatable (which are three touchstones I feel make good content).

It’s not a long article, but it gets to the heart of how we can explain what the use of a CCMS and structured authoring is all about to non-tech comm’ers. I urge you to read this, and you will smile from ear to ear as much as I did, along with the requisite, “A-ha!”

What do you think of this analogy that Val has proposed? Does it hold, or does it blow steam? (See what I did there?) Include your comments below.

–TechCommGeekMom

Older workers complain that ageism is rampant in tech, and survey data suggests they’re onto something: A recent study by ProPublica and the Urban

Source: Older Workers in Tech Can Fight Against Ageism’s Impact

This is a good article that Dice.com put out this week.  And it validates what many of us, even in the technical communications field have said for a while–there IS ageism in the tech field, and we feel it too!  There are some good recommendations on how to avoid hiring problems if you are let go and you are looking, and of a more–ahem–advanced maturity. (Hey, I fall into this group now, too!) Most of these are common sense if you are used to actively looking like I usually am, but if you’ve been in the same job for a long time, it’s worth taking a look at the measures they recommend.

Technical communicators have a lot to offer at any age, but in the end, it’s the skills that you can bring to the job that will get you in the door.

What do you think of this article? Include your comments below.