TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
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I don't know (nor do I particularly care) who said tech writers are engineers,
but I think that concept has merit.
Engineers are fundamentally problem solvers. They must ingest and digest
complex information and then exploit that information to solve problems and
design solutions. That is very much in-line with what good technical writers
do.
I can understand the resistance to being called an engineer. Engineering tends
to demand more rigorous and rational methods in its work. And I can understand
why many writers would fear such intense scrutiny.
Engineers also tend to focus on building fundamentals. An electrical engineer
doesn't care about the color of the circuit board or the manufacturing
techniques used to make it, but he/she cares about the function and substance
of the product. That's synonymous with writers who care more about content.
As for titles and such - that's all arbitrary anyways. These boards and
committees and laws are all created to ensure certain rackets of money
extraction are maintained. Hell, everybody calls themselves an engineer these
day.
The basic idea is that engineering is a type of discipline. Good engineers use
similar intellectual processes as good writers.
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