The Golden Age of Technical Communication

Miles A. Kimball Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Abstract

This article uses a historical perspective to describe the development of the profession of technical communication through three ages: Brass, Beige, and Glass. I compare this development to the growth of the academic discipline and both to the explosion of noninstitutional technical communication—the growing body of tactical technical communication that happens outside of organizations and institutions. This leads me to describe today as the Golden Age of technical communication. I conclude that we should broaden the scope of technical communication and spread it as a set of skills valuable for everyone to learn.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2017-07-01
DOI
10.1177/0047281616641927
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (29)

  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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  1. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  6. Technical Communication Quarterly
  7. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  8. Technical Communication Quarterly
  9. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  10. Technical Communication Quarterly
  11. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  12. Technical Communication Quarterly
  13. Communication Design Quarterly
  14. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  15. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  16. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  17. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  18. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  19. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  20. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  21. Communication Design Quarterly
  22. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  23. Technical Communication Quarterly
  24. Technical Communication Quarterly

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