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Subject:RE: Tugging on Superman's Cape From:"Le Vie, DonaldX S" <donaldx -dot- s -dot- le -dot- vie -at- intel -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 15 Dec 2000 11:29:36 -0800
First of all, I am an active, participating STC member and will continue my
membership because I want to try to be an agent for evolution (in ways that
my schedule, availability, and resources can support) rather than outright
change.
In a previous post, I pointed out that Ed Weiss in a presentation compared
technical communications problems of 1980 with those of 1999...and the vast
majority of them are still around. With the STC claiming to be the world's
largest profession association dedicated to technical communications, it
seems to me that PART of the blame can be placed at the feet of the
revolving STC leadership over the years for not doing a better job creating
and nurturing the environments to overcome these technical communications
shortcomings. PART of the blame also lies with the membership in not
expecting its voice of the profession to do a better job HELPING become the
bridge to the various industries we all interact with.
Yes, there are other organizations for such industry or technology focuses,
and for the most part (someone will no doubt provide me with an exception),
they are islands unto themselves, all surrounded by an ocean of integrated
information potential. But they can't see the ocean for the waves.
It seems that some members have a Ptolemeic view of the universe, with
everything revolving around technical documentation. It ain't so, though
what we deliver is a universal element that's critical to product and
services our companies provide. Until we can demonstrate the valuation of
the technical communications/publications/information development function,
with numbers and dollars, things will continue on the same path as they have
since 1980, and 20 years from now, we'll be wrestling with the same
technical communications issues.
Inertia is a considerable force to overcome; when the membership agrees that
"the status quo is fine, thank you," that's the time to be concerned. All
STC needs is a nudge, not global change...momentum will take care of the
rest.
Thanks for taking my call, Dr. Laura.
Donn Le Vie
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