Additions to Technical Communication Skills

[Tim Mantyla <TimMantyla -at- nustep -dot- com>]

Technical Communication Skills
>From 
http://www.techwr-l.com/articles/employment/technicalcommunicationskills
I was looking for this re: the person wondering about job requirements for 
beginning tech writers...

I've added to these, feel free to keep adding & fine tuning.

Skill areas: Computer, Technical, Organization/Planning and Communication 
General
·       Graphics software packages
·       Word processing software
·       Online authoring software 
Help authoring tools (HATs)
·       Online editors
·       Desktop publishing
·       Project planning software
Specific Applications
·       PC and Macintosh
·       Configuring Windows 95, 2000, NT, XP, Vista
·       Microsoft Word
·       Help Workshop
·       Adobe Acrobat 
·       Adobe FrameMaker
·       Adobe PageMaker
·       Adobe RoboHelp
·       Doc-To-Help
·       Help & Manual
·       Madcap Flare
·       Ventura
·       UNIX
·       Linux
·       HTML, XHTML, SGML, XML and DITA 
Content Management Systems (CMS)
·       C++ code
·       COBOL code
·       Java
·       Visual Basic
·       16-bit and 32-bit online help systems


Hard Skills
·       Concise, audience-appropriate writing
·       Minimalist writing
·       Production, copy, and substantive editing
Proofreading & page markup
·       Web page development
·       Online help development
Soft Skills
·       Creativity,  imagination, visualization
Research
Listening
·       Analyzing audiences
·       Writing from point of view of user/reader
·       Interviewing people (SMEs and others)
·       Facilitating meetings
·       Analyzing & managing a project/multiple projects
·       Working productively as part of a team
·       Working without direct supervision
·       Meeting deadlines
·       Understanding the product
·       Analyzing, planning, prioritizing and organizing skills
·       Familiarity with mediums such as user manuals, marketing 
literature, technical illustrations, documentation, etc.


Tim Mantyla
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.