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The main obstacles (translation: opportunities) to TW certification, as I see them, are:
1. We currently have no *credible* certifying body to sponsor the effort. As my previous post should have made clear, we are a diverse lot. How do we, as a group, achieve this? What could be more diverse than the over-50 group? Yet, the AARP (of which I am an active member) is credible and manages to find common ground. Maybe we should look at their model.
2. I have seen, up to now, no enterprize stepping forward and attempting to quantify/analyze what it really takes to be a Technical writer in *all* industries. IEEE does a pretty good job for their slice of the pie. But, what about the whole profession?
3. How many of us *really* are willing to put our professional and personal egos in harms way? Certification involves risk. Are we as good as we think? Can we prove it?
I'd like to think that, as a group and a profession, we are worthy. Certification, my previous posts notwithstanding, is a worthy undertaking. I am willing to ante up and contribute to solving the problems and furthering our profession. I've done it before, I'm willing to do so now. Are you?
Al Miller
"Chief Documentation Curmudgeon"
Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation
Baltimore, MD
www.prometric.com
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
-- Author Unknown
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