Juliette Cannata
When I first entered the English Writing and Rhetoric program at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, I never imagined I would develop such a passion for technical writing and editing. However, after being exposed to real-world technical editing at an early stage in my academic career and getting hands-on technical writing experience, I discovered a new facet to my writing personality.
In my second year at St. Edward’s, I was given the opportunity to apply for a job as a student intern for IBM/Tivoli Software as a technical editor (thanks to my wonderful professor, Dr. Anna Skinner). I got the job and immediately started editing Tivoli Field Guides (TFGs), which are technical documents created by Tivoli employees and customers to address complex technical issues such as installation, troubleshooting, implementation, and monitoring. At the beginning, I relied on my limited revising and editing skills, but I learned more and more with each passing day about the demands and “rules” for the field of technical editing.
The only problem was while I was learning how to be a more effective technical editor, I was also trying to figure out how to do other tasks that my job required, such as maintaining databases, updating expiration dates for TFGs, and interacting with authors. I was given a few sheets of instructions from the previous student intern, but, for the most part, I was left to ask my boss a million questions and figure things out by trial- and-error. As I became more comfortable in my job, this was no longer a problem.
Project Description
It was not until I enrolled in the Technical and Business Writing class my junior year that the problem of transitioning into a new job without any guide or instructions became an issue again. However, this time, it was an issue I was determined to solve.
My professor (Beth Eakman Re) assigned a semester-long project in which each student had to develop, write, design, and create an original handbook. We could choose our own topic, but the handbook had to be useful for a specific community or population. So, during the grueling process of trying to decide what topic I would be interested in enough to spend an entire semester writing about, the memory of trying to learn a job with limited resources popped into my head. I decided that a handbook for the Global Response Team Intern position at Tivoli was necessary to make the transition for future interns more efficient and less overwhelming. So began my first dive into the world of technical writing.
Challenges
The most challenging aspect of this project was learning how to take all the information about writing and designing I learned in class and apply it to this single document. At times I felt overwhelmed by the significance of each decision I made, from the over-all organization of the handbook to the colors I used on each page to the type of binding I chose. I have learned first-hand, in the technical writing world, everything must be intentional. There must be a reason for every word choice and design decision; otherwise, the audience will get lost or lose interest. Using that knowledge, I keep one statement in mind at all times when creating or editing technical documents: To be a technical writer is to be an excellent communicator with a heightened awareness and anticipation of audience needs and expectations.
Positive Outcomes
The most enjoyable aspect of this project was when I realized that technical writing is not devoid of creativity. I will admit that I believed this field to be dry and soul-deadening when I first entered it. However, after completing this project – and working for two years as a technical editor – I have learned that “creative genius” is part of the process of creating effective documents. One of the first questions any technical writer asks him/herself when sitting down to write is: “How am I going to get people to read this?” Answering that question is where the “creative genius” comes in. There are thousands of ways to craft a document in theory but only a few ways to make an effective document in reality. Knowing how to anticipate an audience’s expectations and figuring out all the little ways to keep people engaged while reading (and maybe even manipulating them to read things they would not normally read) takes a certain level of creativity that most people outside this field do not acknowledge.
By the end of the semester, I had produced my first official piece of technical writing: “A Guide for the Global Response Team Intern.” It is a 20-page document that is divided into five sections based on frequency of reference and importance of information: editing/publishing/updating TFGs, TFG locations, DCF submissions; time sheets; and frequently asked questions. All design elements of this handbook conform to IBM design standards, and all elements of content conform to Tivoli documentation standards. I had the opportunity to present this handbook to my supervisor and her manager, and it is officially part of the Tivoli Library.
Having the opportunity to create this handbook and gain experience as a hands-on technical writer, in conjunction with gaining experience as a technical editor, has shown me that this is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving. Although I stumbled into this field almost by accident, I have embraced technical writing as a passion that I will continue to pursue throughout my life.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge all the professors who have been my inspiration and pillars of encouragement throughout my college career. These professors have taught by example and had more patience with me than I have ever had with myself. They are some of the most intelligent people I know, not just because of their impressive degrees, but because they have real-world experience that they are so generous to share with their students. They are also some of the most inspiring people in my life because they are fountains of passion and love for writing and teaching.
I would also like to thank STC for awarding me the STC Technical Editing SIG Scholarship. I am truly grateful, and I am excited to continue exploring my passion for technical writing and editing!
Juliette Cannata has won the 2010 Diane Feldman Technical Editing SIG Undergraduate Scholarship.