RE: Tech Writing Curriculum

[jgarison -at- ide -dot- com]

I can't honestly say I've read all the posts on this topic (I usually read
Andrew's since they tend to give me a good sense of the pace of the
arguments to date).

But I have to chime in. 

I have taught tech writing for 18 years in both graduate and continuing
education classes at a couple of Boston-area institutions (at least one of
which is a household name). The curriculum I developed is pretty basic - I
try to make it as 'real-world' as possible. I teach about the software
development cycle - how software gets designed and implemented and tested,
and how documentation figures in the process. I teach about how writers need
to learn their subject matter - by reading specs, interviews, and [gasp]
actually using prototype software. I teach about how writers need to
organize their subject matter - matching various organizational techniques
to subject matter, outline first, annotated (or detailed) outline second,
then fill in the gaps. I teach about how to get people to look at and
provide comments on their work at different places in the process - for
example, if people give you good comments on your annotated outline, you're
almost home free. I teach about audiences - what you need to know about them
so that you can tell them what they need to know, at their level, using
their language. 

And, I teach a tiny smattering about tools. All I require is that my
students hand in word done on a computer. I tell them that of all they have
is Works, they can still do the job. I assume that most people have Word. I
do one class (out of 14) on word processing stuff that they ought to know.
You'd be surprised how few people who say they know Word have never
discovered styles. So, I concentrate on those aspects of Word that are
important no matter what tools they'll be using. How and why to use styles.
How to use headers and footers. How to do index entries. Search and replace.
The basics. What they need to learn are some aspects of the tool that will
make them efficient writers - regardless of the tool they end up using in
real life. But by no means is the tool the sole focus of the class. I don't
want them to spend all their time learning the tool (though many choose to
do their class writing project on some aspect of using Word - Mail Merge is
a good example).

Anyway ... writers need to learn how to do the job they are aiming for. That
includes learning their subject matter, learning how to organize
information, and how to efficiently get their words onto paper. And enough
tool knowledge to save them some time and energy, and to prompt them to
question how much more there is for them to learn and master.

My 2¢,

John

John Garison
Documentation Manager
IDe
150 Baker Avenue Extension
Concord, MA 01742

Voice: 978-402-2907
Fax:    978-318-9376
http://www.ide.com



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