The Effects of Integrating On-Going Training for Technical Documentation Teams

Joseph T. Catanio; Teri L. Catanio

doi:10.2190/tw.40.1.e

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2010

The Effects of Integrating On-Going Training for Technical Documentation Teams

Joseph T. Catanio New Jersey Institute of Technology ; Teri L. Catanio Cairn University

Abstract

The tools and techniques utilized in the technical communications profession are constantly improving and changing. Information Technology (IT) organizations devote the necessary resources to equip and train engineering, marketing, and sales teams, but often fail to do so for technical documentation teams. Many IT organizations tend to view documentation as an afterthought; however, consumers of IT products frequently base their purchasing decisions on the end user documentation's content, layout, and presentation. Documentation teams play a unique role in IT organizations as they help to build and create a public identity through end user manuals and the corporate website, as well as maintain intellectual knowledge through knowledge sharing and management. The technical communicator “ makes sense” of complex engineering specifications by creating user-friendly manuals for the layman. The practitioner who compiles and records this complex information is a valuable resource to any IT organization. Therefore, on-going training for technical documentation teams is essential to stay competitive in the fast-paced technical market. Technical communicators in IT organizations who only write end user manuals are becoming a rarity. Research indicates a marked trend toward technical writers in multiple roles and varied responsibilities that include web design and development, and business systems analysis functions. Although these added roles and responsibilities require training on some of the newer software tools and more complex programming tools, technical communicators are experiencing difficulty keeping pace with these tools. This article discusses technical documentation teams in IT organizations and provides an on-going training assessment to help technical documentation managers identify their team's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, measures and results from a study conducted at eight IT organizations, are provided to show the effect of how the integration of on-going training for documentation teams enhances individual competency and improves team performance.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2010-01-01
DOI: 10.2190/tw.40.1.e
CompPile: Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access: Closed
Topics: assessment technical communication
Export: BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

Berger et al. (2023)

Peer-Led Professional Development: How One Technical Communication Team Learns …

Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Sánchez (2017)

The Roles of Technical Communication Researchers in Design Scholarship

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Brewer et al. (2012)

Introduction to the special section: Navigating the boundaries in global traini…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (24) · 1 in this index

Wilson G. (2003)

Technical Communication
Grice R. (2001)

Technical Communication
10.1177/026839629801300206

↗
10.1002/ltl.40619991205

↗
Gould J. R., Barriers to Effective Communication. Paper, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, pp…

Show all 24 →

Johnson T., Average Ratio of Writers to Developers. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from http://stc-suncoast.org/20…
Parker G. M., Team Players and Teamwork, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California, pp. 1–178, 1996.
Sundstrom E., Supporting Work Team Effectiveness, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California, p. 7, 1999.
10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

↗
Senge P. (1990)

Sloan Management Review
O'Hara F. M., A Brief History of Technical Communication. Paper, pp. 500–504, 2001. STC 48th Annual Conferenc…
Staples (1999)

Technical communication from 1950–1998: Where are we now?

Technical Communication Quarterly
10.1145/604228.604235

↗
Rockley A. (2001)

Technical Communication
Ament K., Single Sourcing: Building Modular Documentation, William Andrew Publishing, Norwich, pp. 1–257, 2003.
Eble M. F. (2003)

Technical Communication
Marsh C. H. (1999)

Journal of Computer Documentation
Longo B. (1998)

Journal of Computer Documentation
Catanio T. (2007)

Proceedings of the International Conference on Systems, Computing Sciences, and Software …
Catanio J. (2006)

Information Resources Management Association International Journal (IRMA)
Catanio J. (2006)

Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education, Instructional Techn…
Catanio J. (2006)

Proceedings of the SIGITE 2006 Annual Conference
Catanio J. (2005)

Proceedings of the International Conference on Systems, Computing Sciences, and Software …
Catanio J. (2004)

Journal of Digital Information

CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network → Build reading path →

The Effects of Integrating On-Going Training for Technical Documentation Teams

Abstract

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

References (24) · 1 in this index

Related Articles