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Subject:Re: Communicator or Writer? From:Laurie Rubin <lmr -at- SYL -dot- NJ -dot- NEC -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 7 Jun 1995 08:59:44 -0400
My career has taken the same direction as Sue described. I think of
myself as a generalist in technical communications. For resumes, I use
human factors analyst,since my summary of experience spans all user-oriented
tasks, from task analysis to windows design (not coding) to usability testing
to documentation. In my current assignment, I perform all of these tasks, and
when I send reports to management, I decided to use a department title of
"Technical Communications."
After 16 years of experience, I am still trying to figure out how to address
myself, since I do not do just one type of job!
Laurie
> >
> > I realize a lot of people began their careers as either "writers" or
> > "communicators" and so logically speaking, mere habit can account for a
> > majority of this diversity. I prefer the seemingly outdated "writer" myself
> > based on gut-feeling more than anything else.
> >
> Well, Dawn...
> I started out as a *writer* (several hundred years ago),
> but not as *only* a writer, a writer/trainer -- where I
> developed (wrote) curriculum and taught classes for
> corporate clients.
> And then, for a while, I worked *only* as a writer because
> my responsibilities *only* had to do with writing manuals.
> A few years back, I stopped being a *writer* and became
> a *communicator*. Why? Because my responsibilities encompass
> more than just writing a book. I am now totally involved with
> the overall communication needs of the product. This includes
> helping with the user interface, designing the on-screen
> graphics (including finding the best metaphore for new
> toolbar buttons), developing the online help, *and* writing
> the user manual.
> So, at this stage in my career, I prefer the *communicator*
> label because it says more about what I do.
> Sue Gallagher
> StarBase Corp, Irvine CA
> sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com
