TechWhirl: Technical Communication Recap for October 11, 2013

There’s something to be said for how great technical communicators can uncover design or implementation flaws—a critical but often unwelcome skill. So it’s been over the last 10 days as we tried to implement a single platform for email discussion and commenting. The commenting part worked fine, the email not so much. Whirlers, being a curious and supportive group, withstood the changes with remarkable grace and levity, for which Al and I are eternally grateful (as we are to the technical wizardry of Eric Ray). We continue to work towards an ultimate solution that unifies the TechWhirl community, but for now, the email discussion list continues as it did prior to September 30.

And so does TechWhirl.com. We’ve offered up some instructive, revealing, and otherwise relevant content to whet your appetite for LavaCon 2013, expand your horizons on the career front, and introduce some fascinating concepts and trends. And remember, you have the chance to exercise your creative side, while venting on the challenges of working with monstrous SMEs, horrifying project managers and other assorted corporate ghouls.  Submit your entry into our Third Annual Tech Comm Halloween Horror Stories by next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

-Connie and the gang at TechWhirl

	Tech Writer This Week for October 10, 2013 A week of illusions and great change management writing nears its end with our weekly summary of the best of the CXM, Content Management and Tech Comm web.
	The Answer Lady: Landing the First Technical Writing Job I’ve found that most employers don’t want just a writer with a technical degree; they look for candidates with a degree in English, Communications, or Journalism (all majors that show you can write in some form). However, one class on Technical Writing from community college will not suffice.
	LavaCon 2013 Sneak Peek: Vici Koster-Lenhardt on the Expanding Role of Content Professionals Victoria Koster-Lenhardt describes herself as a “communications professional” and her global career journey started with magazine journalism in New York, moved to technical writing and management, then to corporate communication, and culminated in her current role as “Global Employment Consultant.” Her LavaCon keynote delves into how the roles for content professionals are expanding and evolving in a global marketplace.
	LavaCon 2013 Sneak Peek: Nick Finck on Content Strategy, User Research, and the Customer Experience Well known user experience professional Nick Finck recently took some time to complete a written interview with TechWhirl as he gears up to speak at LavaCon 2013. Nick, who serves as Director of User Experience at projekt202, will deliver a keynote on “Developing a Content Strategy and Applying User Research to Improve the Customer Experience.”
	TechWhirl Third Annual Tech Comm Halloween Horror Stories Festival Technical communicators are invited to share their encounters with the macabre mechanics of corporate existence, both real and imagined, in TechWhirl’s Tech Comm Halloween Horror Stories Festival.

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