certification

[Candace Bamber <cbamber -at- CASTEK -dot- COM>]

From: Candice Bamber -at- CSF on 06/17/97 09:46 AM


To:   techwr-l -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu
cc:
Subject:  certification


Maybe this isn't entirely relevant, but I have received certification in
"Project Management" and the
experience leads me to think that if a body (maybe the STC) could offer a
similarly constructive certification experience, I'd go for it in a second.

PM is similar to TC in many ways - at least in the way it's related to
certification:
- methodology requirements change all the time
- all environments have different requirements
- subject matter knowledge is required in many cases and the project could
be "on" anything
-  software skills are required but vary
- difficult to identify core skills in a meaningful way
- difficult to evaluate core skills in a meaningful way
- etc.

The certification program I did involved 3 phases:
- Take the class (offered evenings, three hours each, for 13 weeks)
- Work for five years as a project manager.  Write project analysis reports
for all your projects; these are submitted to a board who spend time with
you and help you learn how to improve or adapt your methodology, give
suggestions for solving problems better, etc. You must show evidence of
professional growth and improvement, willingness and ability to learn and
adapt, ability to pass on your knowledge, successful projects, learning
from unsuccessful ones. You must be able to explain why things work in one
case and decide whether they would work in another.
-Take and pass the exam.

Whether someone hires me for the couple extra or letters behind my name or
not is irrelevant. And in many ways, the process was not ideal. What
matters to me is that the *analysis* process taught me in detail WHY things
work in the real world  and how to apply this knowledge and lead
documentation projects that *consistently* come in on budget, on schedule
(minimal if any overtime), with high quality, that meet our users needs.

I don't think we can take a simplistic attitude toward certification for
TWs. An "exam" by itself is not sufficient and could never meaningfully
cover off the myriad skills and knowledge we require to be good at what we
do. Likewise, a degree confers knowledge, but not experience and, more
importantly, not the *judgement* that some people gain with experience. And
experience alone isn't really an indicator, either - some people with three
years' experience have spent every second of that three years  being
crammed with new knowledge and skills, improving every day. Others work in
a job for ten years and get the same first six months experience twenty
times.

But just because something is difficult doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile.
And I think it can be worthwhile  - IF the certification process we end up
with not only offers a meaningful assessment of skills and knowledge, but
allows us to enrich ourselves as individuals and as a profession.


Candace
cbamber -at- castek -dot- com
************************************************************************
Candace Bamber

now thankfully at:    "Whatever you can do or dream,
Castek Software Factory    Begin it.
Toronto, ON, Canada        Boldness has  genius,  magic and power in it."
416-777-2550 X 331                      --- Goethe
*************************************************************************

 TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot-  Send commands
   to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
  Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/  or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html