Like so many converging, evolving global professions, technical communication might be difficult to serve with the right products and services, unless vendors acquire feedback on more than tool preferences and salary ranges. Surveys such as the annual TechComm Survey conducted by Adobe Systems help vendors and practitioners understand the current state and evolving trends regarding how technical content is produced and distributed.
According to Amitoj Singh, Product Manager, Adobe Technical Communication Products “the Adobe Tech Comm Survey 2017-18 lets us gauge how technical authors create, publish and distribute content; engage with end users and measure content effectiveness. We’re looking for answers to general industry questions like ‘What are the new trends in technical communication that will impact how authors work with content in future?’ We want to understand which tools they use, how they use them and how they can be improved.” He also said that respondents will receive a copy of the survey results, “which helps technical communication professionals seek new areas of development for themselves, learn from their peers, and better equip themselves for the future.”
An annual survey provides benchmarking which allows Adobe and the entire industry to gain insights into how trends are evolving, and what that means for tools and services that technical writers want and need. Adobe encourages technical writers, documentation managers, information developers and architects, senior executives, and others who work directly or indirectly in technical communication to participate. “We want as broad a cross-section as possible, both in terms of functional roles and vertical industries,” Amitoj continued. “These findings are helpful not only for technical writers but also for other software companies and partners who are providing tools, solutions and services for technical writers.”
Adobe uses the results of the annual survey to work with its partners and industry peers to address trends, develop best practices, and reach out to practitioners with solutions that help them work more productively and effectively for their own customers. “We try and capture various aspects of technical content writing such as authoring tools, publishing formats, structured content learnings during migration,” Amitoj noted.
The 2017-2018 Adobe TechComm Survey is open till February 15, 2018. Participants are eligible for one of 25 prizes, including electronic gear from Apple and Bose and licenses for the Adobe Technical Communication Suite.
