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Subject:RE: Motivation + career path From:Rose -dot- Wilcox -at- pinnaclewest -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 24 Jun 2003 10:55:42 -0700
<<Virtually all of the business analysts I've worked with fall onto the Andrew Plato side of the tech writing world. That is, they are all content, all the time, and have little interest in or patience for questions of form, style, or the _communications_ part of technical communications.>>
Currently I team with about five other Business Analysts and I find that four out of five really care about form, style and communications. Actually five out of five but one has English as a second language, so it's not that she isn't concerned, it's that she is struggling.
The Business Analysts aren't as sophisticated in those areas as I am, but they care about communication. One guy does great diagrams, by the way, which is a very sophisticated form of communication. They all have to communicate complicated technical ideas to the users and complicated business processes to the developers. Of the five, two are writers, one has a screen play and the other is working on a novel.
Perhaps the content vs. communication slant depends on your organization more than the job title.
And then again, as I writer, I care as much or more about content as I do about HOW it is communicated... without the content, what does it matter how great I have designed or organized the document? Plus I adore learning about new systems whether they be technical or business... I just love complicated subject matter.
So a techwriter like me, with great communication skills, a love of complicated subject matter, and a background in technical subjects like computer programming, who also loves business processes, would do well to look into widening into a Business Analysis role. There are a wide range of types of BA jobs out there, and some require more communication abilities whilst others require more technical savvy.
Rose A. Wilcox
CHQ, 17th Floor, 034
Tranz1 QA/Documentation
602-250-2435
Rose -dot- Wilcox -at- PinnacleWest -dot- com
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