I planned to run 20 miles yesterday, but I had to stop and walk after about 18. I chose to run a challenging out and back course through Umstead Park. It was a warm and humid day, but I held back and sipped water more frequently than usual. I felt fine up until around 16 miles, when I started to feel slightly lightheaded and dry. By that point, I was out of water and had half a bottle of Gatorade left. About two miles from home, my right calf started to cramp. I stopped, massaged the calf, and walked a bit. Each time I tried to run again, the calf cramped.
It was a long walk home.
I'm following a more rigorous marathon training schedule than I had for previous marathons. My speedwork earlier in the week had gone very well, and an easy run the next day felt great. But my experience yesterday shows me again how important it is to hydrate the day before and during a long run. It reminds me that heat and humidity continue to be my running nemesis.
Luckily, it's early in my training schedule. I have time to adjust, and three more 20 milers on the calendar. I can drink more and hope for cooler weather.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Accessibility: Usability for Everyone
Here's an article I submitted to the STC Usability and User Experience (UUX) newsletter:
Technical communicators and usability professionals share an interest in how easily someone can use technical information. How efficiently can someone glean the meaning of technical text? Is the experience of acquiring information satisfying or difficult? Can someone retain the information so that, after a period of not using it, she or he can easily reestablish proficiency?
Most of our usability discussion and research focus on those who have no functional impediments. But what about those who do? What about the software engineer with impaired vision? What about the IT professional who cannot hear, or the technical writer with limited range of hand motion? How do we best serve someone with dyslexia?
Addressing these questions is the domain of the field of accessibility, which studies the degree to which a product is usable by as many individuals as possible. A primary focus of accessibility is on persons with disabilities and how they access products through the use of assistive technology. This technology enables them to perform tasks that they were unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing alternative methods of interacting with products.
While some individuals are born with disabilities, nearly all of us face the possibility of reduced function as we become older. Vision degrades as we age. Our dexterity diminishes and our hearing fades. Many of us probably have already increased the default font size on our browsers or have switched to more ergonomically satisfying keyboards. We might have adjusted filter keys to compensate for slight hand tremors. Perhaps we have cranked up the volume for e-mail alerts. At some point, we may want to stop typing altogether and use speech recognition software exclusively. Thus, accessibility might become more than simply an academic subject for all of us – it will become a practical imperative. As the elderly population grows over the next several years, the accessibility of technical information to that population will become a more critical factor in its design and creation.
What is another compelling reason for us to study accessibility? The U.S. government mandates that all Federal agencies make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. These requirements are defined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, with the intention of eliminating barriers to using electronic and information technology and encouraging development of technologies that will help achieve that goal. Moreover, conformance to Section 508 guidelines is an increasingly heavy weighting factor in Federal procurements from its vendors. Information technology includes computers, software, firmware and similar procedures, services, and related resources. Electronic technology includes telecommunication equipment, information kiosks and transaction machines, Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment. Not only must the information technology itself, but also the technical support and technical documentation must be accessible. If you provide information or electronic services to federal agencies, you must respond to Section 508.
Federal agencies that acquire electronic and information technology use a tool called the Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) to help them access how well Section 508 guidelines are met. The VPAT is essentially a checklist that spells out relevant accessibility criteria and asks companies to describe product features that support the criteria—and any deficiencies—and to provide supporting remarks.
There are eight distinct VPATs that correspond to the functional capabilities of specific technologies:
• Software Applications and Operating Systems – covers alternative access to applications, such as screen magnifiers for those with impaired vision and alternative keyboard navigation for those who cannot rely on pointing devices, such as a mouse.
• Web-based Internet Information and Applications – covers guidelines based in part on checkpoints and techniques developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.
• Telecommunications Products – covers access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Video and Multimedia Products – focuses on accessible alternative representations. For example, audible content is translatable into text and presented as closed-captioning. Audio description of important video content is provided through the secondary audio programming (SAP) channel within a standard analog video broadcast signal.
• Self-Contained Closed Products – are expected to provide accessibility as standalone units, without the support of external assistive technology.
• Desktop and Portable Computers – focuses on keyboards and other mechanically operated controls, touch screens, use of biometric form of identification, and ports and connectors.
• Functional Performance Criteria – concerns general accessibility criteria – for example, is at least one mode of operation and information retrieval provided that does not require user vision?
• Information, Documentation, and Support – covers user guides, installation guides for end-user installable devices, and customer support and technical support communications. Such information is to be available in alternative formats, such as Braille, large print, or cassette recordings, upon request at no additional charge.
Addressing accessibility issues has a practical effect on what we produce. These days, many technical documents include a section about accessibility in their introduction. If you’re familiar with the structure of the VPAT and have access to your product’s VPAT, you’ll have an easier time writing this section for your document. Also, as we design compelling graphics to communicate complex technical points, we might also need to author text alternatives for the visually impaired. As we work with usability specialists to make interfaces more intuitive, we can act as accessibility advocates.
What should technical communicators do to become more knowledgeable about accessibility? Find out whether your company employs accessibility analysts, and then talk to them. Research the topic on the Web and through groups like the STC UUX and AccessAbility SIGs. Attend relevant workshops. Knowledge of the area can become a marketable point on your resume.
As technical communicators, we put the needs of our audience first. Enlarging our audience is of benefit to them and to us. Caring about the changing needs of our audience as it ages is sensible. Learning about the area of accessibility is professionally smart and personally practical.
Technical communicators and usability professionals share an interest in how easily someone can use technical information. How efficiently can someone glean the meaning of technical text? Is the experience of acquiring information satisfying or difficult? Can someone retain the information so that, after a period of not using it, she or he can easily reestablish proficiency?
Most of our usability discussion and research focus on those who have no functional impediments. But what about those who do? What about the software engineer with impaired vision? What about the IT professional who cannot hear, or the technical writer with limited range of hand motion? How do we best serve someone with dyslexia?
Addressing these questions is the domain of the field of accessibility, which studies the degree to which a product is usable by as many individuals as possible. A primary focus of accessibility is on persons with disabilities and how they access products through the use of assistive technology. This technology enables them to perform tasks that they were unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing alternative methods of interacting with products.
While some individuals are born with disabilities, nearly all of us face the possibility of reduced function as we become older. Vision degrades as we age. Our dexterity diminishes and our hearing fades. Many of us probably have already increased the default font size on our browsers or have switched to more ergonomically satisfying keyboards. We might have adjusted filter keys to compensate for slight hand tremors. Perhaps we have cranked up the volume for e-mail alerts. At some point, we may want to stop typing altogether and use speech recognition software exclusively. Thus, accessibility might become more than simply an academic subject for all of us – it will become a practical imperative. As the elderly population grows over the next several years, the accessibility of technical information to that population will become a more critical factor in its design and creation.
What is another compelling reason for us to study accessibility? The U.S. government mandates that all Federal agencies make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. These requirements are defined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, with the intention of eliminating barriers to using electronic and information technology and encouraging development of technologies that will help achieve that goal. Moreover, conformance to Section 508 guidelines is an increasingly heavy weighting factor in Federal procurements from its vendors. Information technology includes computers, software, firmware and similar procedures, services, and related resources. Electronic technology includes telecommunication equipment, information kiosks and transaction machines, Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment. Not only must the information technology itself, but also the technical support and technical documentation must be accessible. If you provide information or electronic services to federal agencies, you must respond to Section 508.
Federal agencies that acquire electronic and information technology use a tool called the Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) to help them access how well Section 508 guidelines are met. The VPAT is essentially a checklist that spells out relevant accessibility criteria and asks companies to describe product features that support the criteria—and any deficiencies—and to provide supporting remarks.
There are eight distinct VPATs that correspond to the functional capabilities of specific technologies:
• Software Applications and Operating Systems – covers alternative access to applications, such as screen magnifiers for those with impaired vision and alternative keyboard navigation for those who cannot rely on pointing devices, such as a mouse.
• Web-based Internet Information and Applications – covers guidelines based in part on checkpoints and techniques developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.
• Telecommunications Products – covers access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Video and Multimedia Products – focuses on accessible alternative representations. For example, audible content is translatable into text and presented as closed-captioning. Audio description of important video content is provided through the secondary audio programming (SAP) channel within a standard analog video broadcast signal.
• Self-Contained Closed Products – are expected to provide accessibility as standalone units, without the support of external assistive technology.
• Desktop and Portable Computers – focuses on keyboards and other mechanically operated controls, touch screens, use of biometric form of identification, and ports and connectors.
• Functional Performance Criteria – concerns general accessibility criteria – for example, is at least one mode of operation and information retrieval provided that does not require user vision?
• Information, Documentation, and Support – covers user guides, installation guides for end-user installable devices, and customer support and technical support communications. Such information is to be available in alternative formats, such as Braille, large print, or cassette recordings, upon request at no additional charge.
Addressing accessibility issues has a practical effect on what we produce. These days, many technical documents include a section about accessibility in their introduction. If you’re familiar with the structure of the VPAT and have access to your product’s VPAT, you’ll have an easier time writing this section for your document. Also, as we design compelling graphics to communicate complex technical points, we might also need to author text alternatives for the visually impaired. As we work with usability specialists to make interfaces more intuitive, we can act as accessibility advocates.
What should technical communicators do to become more knowledgeable about accessibility? Find out whether your company employs accessibility analysts, and then talk to them. Research the topic on the Web and through groups like the STC UUX and AccessAbility SIGs. Attend relevant workshops. Knowledge of the area can become a marketable point on your resume.
As technical communicators, we put the needs of our audience first. Enlarging our audience is of benefit to them and to us. Caring about the changing needs of our audience as it ages is sensible. Learning about the area of accessibility is professionally smart and personally practical.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Surprised
I ran a new PR, 1:48:10, at the Inside-Out Half Marathon this past Sunday. That's over three minutes faster than my old PR, which I ran this past November on a much flatter course. And it's over eight minutes faster than the last time I ran the same course.
And I placed second in my age group.
I was not expecting to do this well, especially as I was running without my tunes.
Here are my splits (the wide variation shows just how hilly the course was):
8'01"
7'56"
8'10"
8'46"
8'32"
8'56"
8'04"
7'47"
8'11"
7'52"
7'36"
8'18"
(GPS lost signal on the 1.1 miles)
Without a doubt the cross-training and the pool plyometrics have helped increase my overall strength. It was a very cool and damp day, and I always run better in those conditions. But because it was such a challenging course, I expected in the best case to meet my old PR, 1:51:52, not beat it.
So this week all runs are easy runs. And my kids and I are going to sign up for a 5K at the end of the month. I am going to have to think hard about what goal time to set.
And I placed second in my age group.
I was not expecting to do this well, especially as I was running without my tunes.
Here are my splits (the wide variation shows just how hilly the course was):
8'01"
7'56"
8'10"
8'46"
8'32"
8'56"
8'04"
7'47"
8'11"
7'52"
7'36"
8'18"
(GPS lost signal on the 1.1 miles)
Without a doubt the cross-training and the pool plyometrics have helped increase my overall strength. It was a very cool and damp day, and I always run better in those conditions. But because it was such a challenging course, I expected in the best case to meet my old PR, 1:51:52, not beat it.
So this week all runs are easy runs. And my kids and I are going to sign up for a 5K at the end of the month. I am going to have to think hard about what goal time to set.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Rant
This Sunday, I'm running the Inside-Out Half Marathon in Cary. I'm looking forward to my third attack of this challenging course.
The last time I ran it, in 2006, I listened to tunes on my iPod. I finished in 1:56:57. Led Zeppelin helped me over that last hill.
But I cannot listen to tunes this time.
begin{rant}
According to the event website:
"RRCA rules and our insurance do not allow the use of iPods, MP3 players, headphones, or other personal listening devices during races. While you may be accustomed to using one during your practice runs and prefer to run with one, we must ask that you honor our policy. Runners violating this policy will be disqualified from the race and banned from participating in the event in future."
What kind of boneheaded rule is this? Has fear of litigation robbed event organizers of their common sense? Whatever safety hazard is posed by running with an iPod has to be eclipsed by the hazards inherent in racing 13.1 miles! I mean, we sign a waiver! What next? Will we be denied the right to wear fuel belts? Will technical shirts have to meet esoteric standards?
Listening to tunes helps me disassociate from the discomfort of physically pushing myself. I keep my iPod at a volume that allows me to hear what's going on around me. Why deny me my iPod during the race? Stupid, stupid, stupid!
end{rant}
Rain or shine, I have the same goals I always have for a race:
1) Finish
2) Finish feeling good
3) Finish faster than the last time I ran the event
4) Run a PR
Four for four would be great! I'll be happy with two for four.
The last time I ran it, in 2006, I listened to tunes on my iPod. I finished in 1:56:57. Led Zeppelin helped me over that last hill.
But I cannot listen to tunes this time.
begin{rant}
According to the event website:
"RRCA rules and our insurance do not allow the use of iPods, MP3 players, headphones, or other personal listening devices during races. While you may be accustomed to using one during your practice runs and prefer to run with one, we must ask that you honor our policy. Runners violating this policy will be disqualified from the race and banned from participating in the event in future."
What kind of boneheaded rule is this? Has fear of litigation robbed event organizers of their common sense? Whatever safety hazard is posed by running with an iPod has to be eclipsed by the hazards inherent in racing 13.1 miles! I mean, we sign a waiver! What next? Will we be denied the right to wear fuel belts? Will technical shirts have to meet esoteric standards?
Listening to tunes helps me disassociate from the discomfort of physically pushing myself. I keep my iPod at a volume that allows me to hear what's going on around me. Why deny me my iPod during the race? Stupid, stupid, stupid!
end{rant}
Rain or shine, I have the same goals I always have for a race:
1) Finish
2) Finish feeling good
3) Finish faster than the last time I ran the event
4) Run a PR
Four for four would be great! I'll be happy with two for four.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The True Genius of This Nation
I was 12 years old when Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed. I was too young to appreciate what he was saying to the American people, or to understand his vision for our country. But even at that young age, I could sense that he was different from the other candidates for President. The crowds who gathered to hear him seemed younger and more engaged than those who cheered for the other candidates. His words flowed naturally - they sounded like poetry compared to those of Humphrey or Nixon or any of the others.
As I matured, I could reflect on what Bobby Kennedy said during that campaign of 1968 and recognize what our country lost when he was killed. And over time, I wondered whether we'd ever see someone like him again.
Today I read Barack Obama's speech on race. On YouTube, I watched him give it. The text is a work of art. Its delivery is as moving as a sermon. Its message rings true. If we are to achieve the more perfect union our founding fathers envisioned, we must accept the challenges it poses.
Our country has another chance.
As I matured, I could reflect on what Bobby Kennedy said during that campaign of 1968 and recognize what our country lost when he was killed. And over time, I wondered whether we'd ever see someone like him again.
Today I read Barack Obama's speech on race. On YouTube, I watched him give it. The text is a work of art. Its delivery is as moving as a sermon. Its message rings true. If we are to achieve the more perfect union our founding fathers envisioned, we must accept the challenges it poses.
Our country has another chance.
Silver and Gold
Here's my latest contribution to the Carolina Communiqué:
We understand the value of becoming aware of our strengths. We know it’s important to develop and use them in an increasingly competitive job market. We comprehend that we need to market our strengths, skills, and accomplishments in a variety of venues and on social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Yet if you’re like me, you were brought up not to boast. So when does talking about your strengths and accomplishments bleed into unseemly self-aggrandizement? At what point does marketing your skills turn you into a blowhard?
Well, it depends on who’s receiving your message and under what circumstances they’re receiving it. It depends on how much time you give the receiver to contribute to the conversation. Do you spend as much or more time listening as speaking? Do you use your listening skills to get others to open up?
Just as we should be scholars of new tools and technologies, we should be students of our colleagues’ interests and accomplishments. We should cultivate a reporter’s skill in getting others to talk about themselves. A two-way exchange is more satisfying and beneficial to both parties than a monologue. Let us remember that the verb “communicate,” comes from the Latin communicare, which means “to share.”
And by colleagues, I don’t mean just old friends. Perhaps you remember this verse from childhood: “make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” When was the last time you initiated a conversation with someone you didn’t know? Irrespective of how hard opening up to a stranger may be, mastering that skill can be one of the best things you can do for your personal and professional growth.
It helps if your strengths, as defined by Marcus Buckingham, author of Now, Discover Your Strengths and Go Put Your Strengths to Work, include “Individualization,” which means that you naturally focus on what makes someone unique, or “Woo,” which means that you are energized by winning over others. But even if you don’t naturally have these strengths, it is not difficult to develop effective skills in light conversation.
Some easy, open-ended questions are sure-fire ways to start a conversation:
“Where do you work?”
“What sorts of projects do you work on?”
“How did you get started in technical communication?”
If you know something good about the company where the other person works, say it and then let the other person follow up. If you and the other share a friend or co-worker, bring that up, but don’t center your conversation on the third person lest you inadvertently drift into gossip. Find something in common with the projects mentioned. Share war stories about tools. There may be something in the other person’s “getting started” story that has a common thread with yours. The key is to listen keenly to the other. Rather than think about what to say next, absorb what the other is saying. Before you know it, the conversation will flow with its own momentum.
Why is developing conversational skills important? First, to be a well-rounded technical communicator, we should develop oral as well as written skills. Skills such as light conversation and giving presentations supplement and reinforce our writing skills. Having facility with the rhythms of speech contribute to fluid writing and conversational prose.
Second, conversational skill is the foundation of successful networking, which has been referred to as “the art of building alliances.” As Ed Fletcher pointed out at a recent chapter meeting, networking is not a cold, self-interested accumulation of contacts. Instead, it is a thoughtful development of a web of connections based on shared interest. Networking works when you engage another person with personal integrity and sincere concern.
Buckingham said "I believe that every single person can do at least one thing better than 10,000 other people.” Think of the opportunity this presents us! As we get to know others, we have a chance to uncover that one thing that the other can do better than 10,000 others. And the other gets a chance to find out what we do better than 10,000 others.
It’s not that every person with whom we network is going to become our friend. Some of our new connections can develop into friendships, but friendships require time and work to blossom. Reaching out professionally, with integrity, means that you’re not just in it for you — you’re in it for both of us. How can we help each other? If the answer is “we cannot help each other at this time,” there’s always another time.
Our chapter’s recent awards banquet was a perfect place to test drive conversation skills. During the banquet, our colleagues were recognized for excellent work, and it was easy to start conversations about awards and achievements. This summer’s upcoming cluster progression program, on which our chapter is working with the NC State student chapter, will present another good opportunity. Come see the variety of fields that technical communication supports and get acquainted with the next generation of technical communicators.
The network that you grow needs ongoing care and maintenance. As Lisa Pappas pointed out in a previous issue of the Carolina Communiqué, “…I have learned that (networking is) far more than schmoozing. … (The) connections — contacts, referrals, and friendships — that we form through networking are the strands of our network. And like any net, those bonds need maintenance — keep in touch with your contacts.”
Reinvention isn’t easy and it never stops. Even if you are uncomfortable opening up to strangers, the more you do it, the less stressful it becomes. The more you practice it, the better you become.
Share what you have and give others a chance to shine. It is the right thing to do, and it will reflect well on you. Build your network, grow your professional community, and you will reinvent your work world.
We understand the value of becoming aware of our strengths. We know it’s important to develop and use them in an increasingly competitive job market. We comprehend that we need to market our strengths, skills, and accomplishments in a variety of venues and on social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Yet if you’re like me, you were brought up not to boast. So when does talking about your strengths and accomplishments bleed into unseemly self-aggrandizement? At what point does marketing your skills turn you into a blowhard?
Well, it depends on who’s receiving your message and under what circumstances they’re receiving it. It depends on how much time you give the receiver to contribute to the conversation. Do you spend as much or more time listening as speaking? Do you use your listening skills to get others to open up?
Just as we should be scholars of new tools and technologies, we should be students of our colleagues’ interests and accomplishments. We should cultivate a reporter’s skill in getting others to talk about themselves. A two-way exchange is more satisfying and beneficial to both parties than a monologue. Let us remember that the verb “communicate,” comes from the Latin communicare, which means “to share.”
And by colleagues, I don’t mean just old friends. Perhaps you remember this verse from childhood: “make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” When was the last time you initiated a conversation with someone you didn’t know? Irrespective of how hard opening up to a stranger may be, mastering that skill can be one of the best things you can do for your personal and professional growth.
It helps if your strengths, as defined by Marcus Buckingham, author of Now, Discover Your Strengths and Go Put Your Strengths to Work, include “Individualization,” which means that you naturally focus on what makes someone unique, or “Woo,” which means that you are energized by winning over others. But even if you don’t naturally have these strengths, it is not difficult to develop effective skills in light conversation.
Some easy, open-ended questions are sure-fire ways to start a conversation:
“Where do you work?”
“What sorts of projects do you work on?”
“How did you get started in technical communication?”
If you know something good about the company where the other person works, say it and then let the other person follow up. If you and the other share a friend or co-worker, bring that up, but don’t center your conversation on the third person lest you inadvertently drift into gossip. Find something in common with the projects mentioned. Share war stories about tools. There may be something in the other person’s “getting started” story that has a common thread with yours. The key is to listen keenly to the other. Rather than think about what to say next, absorb what the other is saying. Before you know it, the conversation will flow with its own momentum.
Why is developing conversational skills important? First, to be a well-rounded technical communicator, we should develop oral as well as written skills. Skills such as light conversation and giving presentations supplement and reinforce our writing skills. Having facility with the rhythms of speech contribute to fluid writing and conversational prose.
Second, conversational skill is the foundation of successful networking, which has been referred to as “the art of building alliances.” As Ed Fletcher pointed out at a recent chapter meeting, networking is not a cold, self-interested accumulation of contacts. Instead, it is a thoughtful development of a web of connections based on shared interest. Networking works when you engage another person with personal integrity and sincere concern.
Buckingham said "I believe that every single person can do at least one thing better than 10,000 other people.” Think of the opportunity this presents us! As we get to know others, we have a chance to uncover that one thing that the other can do better than 10,000 others. And the other gets a chance to find out what we do better than 10,000 others.
It’s not that every person with whom we network is going to become our friend. Some of our new connections can develop into friendships, but friendships require time and work to blossom. Reaching out professionally, with integrity, means that you’re not just in it for you — you’re in it for both of us. How can we help each other? If the answer is “we cannot help each other at this time,” there’s always another time.
Our chapter’s recent awards banquet was a perfect place to test drive conversation skills. During the banquet, our colleagues were recognized for excellent work, and it was easy to start conversations about awards and achievements. This summer’s upcoming cluster progression program, on which our chapter is working with the NC State student chapter, will present another good opportunity. Come see the variety of fields that technical communication supports and get acquainted with the next generation of technical communicators.
The network that you grow needs ongoing care and maintenance. As Lisa Pappas pointed out in a previous issue of the Carolina Communiqué, “…I have learned that (networking is) far more than schmoozing. … (The) connections — contacts, referrals, and friendships — that we form through networking are the strands of our network. And like any net, those bonds need maintenance — keep in touch with your contacts.”
Reinvention isn’t easy and it never stops. Even if you are uncomfortable opening up to strangers, the more you do it, the less stressful it becomes. The more you practice it, the better you become.
Share what you have and give others a chance to shine. It is the right thing to do, and it will reflect well on you. Build your network, grow your professional community, and you will reinvent your work world.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
How Does Reinvention Work?
Here's my most recent President's Message from the Carolina Communique:
How does someone go about “reinventing” themselves? Where do you start? How do you know whether you’re making progress? When are you done?
Where you start is simple — with yourself. Reinvention does not mean becoming a different person. On the contrary, it means hewing to your true nature — becoming more of who you really are. It requires becoming keenly aware of what you do best and what you could do better. Understand your strengths so that you can spend more time using them on the job. Equally understand your weaknesses so that you can figure out to work on or around them.
How do you hew to your true nature? You can take personality or aptitude tests, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, to get an objective sense of who you really are. You can observe yourself during the day and notice the things that come naturally and those that require more effort. When something comes naturally, you’re playing to strength.
Marcus Buckingham has written a series of books about this, the most relevant being Now, Discover Your Strengths. Buckingham spent years working with the Gallup Organization studying effective managers. Through exhaustive quantitative research, he extracted 34 personality themes, such as “Learner,” “Ideation,” and “Communication.” If you buy the book, you get a key to take an online test that tells you which of these themes and their related strengths apply to you.
For me, reinvention meant becoming a writer again. Writing allows me to play to my strengths of “Communication” and “Ideation.” Time flies when I write, and I sometimes achieve a state of flow.
It turns out that hewing to your true nature is an effective defense against the commoditizing of technical writing jobs and tasks. As I and other speakers said at our November program, “Don’t Offshore Me,” one of the best ways to preserve your value on the job is to be the best at what you do. You cannot be the best unless you are doing something that plays to strength.
To excel at technical communication, ask yourself these questions: do you truly enjoy technical things, and do you truly enjoy communicating? Is technical curiosity second nature to you? (See my previous article, “Developing Technical Curiosity – A Marketable Skill.”) When you are engaged in an act of communication (writing, speaking, designing, and so on), do the hours fly by?
If the answer is yes, reinvention may mean rededicating yourself to the assignments and responsibilities you already have. Or it may mean seeking a different assignment. If one of your strengths is “Learner,” as it is for me, technical communication is a suitable profession, because there will always be something new to learn and write about.
If the answer is no, reinvention may mean finding a different job. Many technical communicators parlay their experience into job titles such as Information Technologist or Usability Specialist.
So how do you know whether you are making progress in reinventing yourself? Again, the answer depends on whether you are spending time doing things that flow rather than drag. Are you getting energy from your work, or is it taking energy out of you? The more energized you feel by your work, the more progress you’re making.
And when are you done? Never. The world will continue to change. Change with it — be in charge of your personal change.
There are lots of opportunities for reinvention when you’re active in STC. Do something you haven’t done before — we’ll be there to help. Check out the programs we offer — we strive to provide information and knowledge to help you grow professionally and keep current. Come to one of our events and meet fellow professionals. Write an article for our newsletter. Volunteer to help in some way through the committees our chapter offers.
Becoming more active in committees helps you connect with others. A past president of our chapter, Diane Feldman, once wrote “real networking doesn’t happen at the meetings — it happens on committees! In the context of accomplishing a task, you also accomplish all of the goals of networking. You learn about your colleagues — what kind of work they do, what their skills and interests are, what they have to offer — and they learn about you. You find out which companies are doing what, who the managers are, and where the opportunities are. You get a chance to practice or develop skills that you might not get to work on in the regular course of your job. People in your industry come to recognize you as a committed professional who gets things done.”
And when you are trying to reinvent yourself, perhaps with a new company or in a new role in your current company, having contacts who know the value you bring is a priceless benefit. When you embark on reinvention, an established network will support you along the way in your journey.
As with a weight loss program or a new fitness regimen, or a commitment to learn a new language or how to play an instrument, there will be peaks and plateaus in your progress in reinvention. The results are worth it. You’ll be recognized as the committed professional you are. You’ll feel more energized and engaged in your work. And you’ll have fun.
How does someone go about “reinventing” themselves? Where do you start? How do you know whether you’re making progress? When are you done?
Where you start is simple — with yourself. Reinvention does not mean becoming a different person. On the contrary, it means hewing to your true nature — becoming more of who you really are. It requires becoming keenly aware of what you do best and what you could do better. Understand your strengths so that you can spend more time using them on the job. Equally understand your weaknesses so that you can figure out to work on or around them.
How do you hew to your true nature? You can take personality or aptitude tests, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, to get an objective sense of who you really are. You can observe yourself during the day and notice the things that come naturally and those that require more effort. When something comes naturally, you’re playing to strength.
Marcus Buckingham has written a series of books about this, the most relevant being Now, Discover Your Strengths. Buckingham spent years working with the Gallup Organization studying effective managers. Through exhaustive quantitative research, he extracted 34 personality themes, such as “Learner,” “Ideation,” and “Communication.” If you buy the book, you get a key to take an online test that tells you which of these themes and their related strengths apply to you.
For me, reinvention meant becoming a writer again. Writing allows me to play to my strengths of “Communication” and “Ideation.” Time flies when I write, and I sometimes achieve a state of flow.
It turns out that hewing to your true nature is an effective defense against the commoditizing of technical writing jobs and tasks. As I and other speakers said at our November program, “Don’t Offshore Me,” one of the best ways to preserve your value on the job is to be the best at what you do. You cannot be the best unless you are doing something that plays to strength.
To excel at technical communication, ask yourself these questions: do you truly enjoy technical things, and do you truly enjoy communicating? Is technical curiosity second nature to you? (See my previous article, “Developing Technical Curiosity – A Marketable Skill.”) When you are engaged in an act of communication (writing, speaking, designing, and so on), do the hours fly by?
If the answer is yes, reinvention may mean rededicating yourself to the assignments and responsibilities you already have. Or it may mean seeking a different assignment. If one of your strengths is “Learner,” as it is for me, technical communication is a suitable profession, because there will always be something new to learn and write about.
If the answer is no, reinvention may mean finding a different job. Many technical communicators parlay their experience into job titles such as Information Technologist or Usability Specialist.
So how do you know whether you are making progress in reinventing yourself? Again, the answer depends on whether you are spending time doing things that flow rather than drag. Are you getting energy from your work, or is it taking energy out of you? The more energized you feel by your work, the more progress you’re making.
And when are you done? Never. The world will continue to change. Change with it — be in charge of your personal change.
There are lots of opportunities for reinvention when you’re active in STC. Do something you haven’t done before — we’ll be there to help. Check out the programs we offer — we strive to provide information and knowledge to help you grow professionally and keep current. Come to one of our events and meet fellow professionals. Write an article for our newsletter. Volunteer to help in some way through the committees our chapter offers.
Becoming more active in committees helps you connect with others. A past president of our chapter, Diane Feldman, once wrote “real networking doesn’t happen at the meetings — it happens on committees! In the context of accomplishing a task, you also accomplish all of the goals of networking. You learn about your colleagues — what kind of work they do, what their skills and interests are, what they have to offer — and they learn about you. You find out which companies are doing what, who the managers are, and where the opportunities are. You get a chance to practice or develop skills that you might not get to work on in the regular course of your job. People in your industry come to recognize you as a committed professional who gets things done.”
And when you are trying to reinvent yourself, perhaps with a new company or in a new role in your current company, having contacts who know the value you bring is a priceless benefit. When you embark on reinvention, an established network will support you along the way in your journey.
As with a weight loss program or a new fitness regimen, or a commitment to learn a new language or how to play an instrument, there will be peaks and plateaus in your progress in reinvention. The results are worth it. You’ll be recognized as the committed professional you are. You’ll feel more energized and engaged in your work. And you’ll have fun.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
2007
Here are my running stats for 2007:
Total miles: 1664.7
Average weekly mileage: 32
Highest weekly mileage: 42.5 miles the week of 1/22/07, preparing for Myrtle Beach
Lowest weekly mileage: 20.5 miles the week of 10/8/07 - I was participating in a Concept 2 rowing challenge at work
Longest streak of 30+ miles: 9 weeks, 6/18/07 through 8/20/07 - didn't run 30+ the week of 8/20 because that's when I started work at SAS. In fact, the period from 4/9 through 8/20, I had only one week with fewer than 30 miles - 29.8 the week of 6/11. I think I was busy with job search activities that week. Between 4/9 and the end of the year, I had only 6 weeks with fewer than 30 miles, and one of those was the week of the City of Oaks Half Marathon, where I ran a new PR of 1:51:52.
Today I'm battling a cold. Ran 4 yesterday in the neighborhood to finish out the year - boring because I had to loop around so many times to get the distance. Trying to decide whether I'm going to go out today.
Happy 2008!
Total miles: 1664.7
Average weekly mileage: 32
Highest weekly mileage: 42.5 miles the week of 1/22/07, preparing for Myrtle Beach
Lowest weekly mileage: 20.5 miles the week of 10/8/07 - I was participating in a Concept 2 rowing challenge at work
Longest streak of 30+ miles: 9 weeks, 6/18/07 through 8/20/07 - didn't run 30+ the week of 8/20 because that's when I started work at SAS. In fact, the period from 4/9 through 8/20, I had only one week with fewer than 30 miles - 29.8 the week of 6/11. I think I was busy with job search activities that week. Between 4/9 and the end of the year, I had only 6 weeks with fewer than 30 miles, and one of those was the week of the City of Oaks Half Marathon, where I ran a new PR of 1:51:52.
Today I'm battling a cold. Ran 4 yesterday in the neighborhood to finish out the year - boring because I had to loop around so many times to get the distance. Trying to decide whether I'm going to go out today.
Happy 2008!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Reinvention Continues
Here's an article I posted on the Carolina Communique earlier in the fall:
When I became president of our chapter this summer, I was searching for a job. Now I am a statistical writer at SAS, documenting risk management products and solutions. I’m reinventing myself. I’m learning a new set of tools, technologies, and products. I’m getting to know and respect a new group of colleagues. I’m having fun as I build a professional routine entirely different from the one I followed for the last nineteen years.
The theme for my chapter presidency is reinvention. Our chapter needs to reinvent itself to face the challenges of attracting new members and keeping existing members active. Our profession needs to reinvent itself as it faces accelerating technological change and globalization.
Our chapter is changing. With the goal of not being left behind, we are taking advantage of some of the tools available that can extend our networks. We used Facebook to publicize recent events such as our Trends & Technology LSIG talks about social networking and our membership luau, sending invitations to those events through its embedded tools. It’s a little more advanced than sending a blanket e-mail announcement to a list server, and it’s a far cry from mailing printed invitations, which is what we did in previous years. Our group page on Facebook has attracted the attention of individuals as far away as Ireland and as close by as NC State University. We are glad when that attention draws someone new to attend one of our events, and opens new lines of communication and ideas—we hope that it inspires new membership.
Another tool we recently deployed for the chapter is LinkedIn. There’s now an STC Carolina LinkedIn group that chapter members with profiles can join. Add it to your LinkedIn profile.
If you don’t know about LinkedIn, check it out. It’s a way to set up a professional, Internet-based network. Think of LinkedIn as a Web-based Rolodex on steroids. You may have seen an article about it in the local paper’s business section one Sunday this summer. After you set up your profile on LinkedIn and allow others to view it, search engines can find information about you. LinkedIn provides you with a way to ask business or technical questions and get them quickly answered by knowledgeable professionals. You can get back in touch with old friends and colleagues. For example, I reconnected with a man I worked for 20 years ago, and he is now part of my network.
Make sure you are not violating any company policies if you use LinkedIn at work. Many employers, including SAS, do not allow you to access networks like these through corporate systems.
The business of technical writing is changing. The September/October 2007 issue of Intercom focuses on what Web 2.0 means to technical communicators. Web 2.0 refers to changes in technology that allow the Web to serve as a dynamic platform for collaboration and development. Think wikis, blogs, and social networking. Web 2.0 is a bridge to new skills for technical communicators to develop. That’s good, because the old skills aren’t going to serve us well in the years to come. I’m working on an article for a future issue of Intercom about the continued commoditization of “low-end” technical writing. The trend to outsource more mechanical technical communication tasks to workers with lower billing rates, often living several time zones away, is unstoppable. That shouldn’t make you panic, but it should make you think.
STC Carolina is planning an event in November to explore how to find your place in such a global technical communication market. Note the emphasis—it’s not that your job is going away. Your job is changing, and you need to guide the change.
Reinvention cannot stop. In the 21st century, technology has accelerated changes to our workplace so much that we cannot rest with the skill set and knowledge we have today. We must be willing to reach out and network. We must be eager to learn new things, to be alert to trends, and to be vigilant against obsolescence.
Reinvention must continue.
When I became president of our chapter this summer, I was searching for a job. Now I am a statistical writer at SAS, documenting risk management products and solutions. I’m reinventing myself. I’m learning a new set of tools, technologies, and products. I’m getting to know and respect a new group of colleagues. I’m having fun as I build a professional routine entirely different from the one I followed for the last nineteen years.
The theme for my chapter presidency is reinvention. Our chapter needs to reinvent itself to face the challenges of attracting new members and keeping existing members active. Our profession needs to reinvent itself as it faces accelerating technological change and globalization.
Our chapter is changing. With the goal of not being left behind, we are taking advantage of some of the tools available that can extend our networks. We used Facebook to publicize recent events such as our Trends & Technology LSIG talks about social networking and our membership luau, sending invitations to those events through its embedded tools. It’s a little more advanced than sending a blanket e-mail announcement to a list server, and it’s a far cry from mailing printed invitations, which is what we did in previous years. Our group page on Facebook has attracted the attention of individuals as far away as Ireland and as close by as NC State University. We are glad when that attention draws someone new to attend one of our events, and opens new lines of communication and ideas—we hope that it inspires new membership.
Another tool we recently deployed for the chapter is LinkedIn. There’s now an STC Carolina LinkedIn group that chapter members with profiles can join. Add it to your LinkedIn profile.
If you don’t know about LinkedIn, check it out. It’s a way to set up a professional, Internet-based network. Think of LinkedIn as a Web-based Rolodex on steroids. You may have seen an article about it in the local paper’s business section one Sunday this summer. After you set up your profile on LinkedIn and allow others to view it, search engines can find information about you. LinkedIn provides you with a way to ask business or technical questions and get them quickly answered by knowledgeable professionals. You can get back in touch with old friends and colleagues. For example, I reconnected with a man I worked for 20 years ago, and he is now part of my network.
Make sure you are not violating any company policies if you use LinkedIn at work. Many employers, including SAS, do not allow you to access networks like these through corporate systems.
The business of technical writing is changing. The September/October 2007 issue of Intercom focuses on what Web 2.0 means to technical communicators. Web 2.0 refers to changes in technology that allow the Web to serve as a dynamic platform for collaboration and development. Think wikis, blogs, and social networking. Web 2.0 is a bridge to new skills for technical communicators to develop. That’s good, because the old skills aren’t going to serve us well in the years to come. I’m working on an article for a future issue of Intercom about the continued commoditization of “low-end” technical writing. The trend to outsource more mechanical technical communication tasks to workers with lower billing rates, often living several time zones away, is unstoppable. That shouldn’t make you panic, but it should make you think.
STC Carolina is planning an event in November to explore how to find your place in such a global technical communication market. Note the emphasis—it’s not that your job is going away. Your job is changing, and you need to guide the change.
Reinvention cannot stop. In the 21st century, technology has accelerated changes to our workplace so much that we cannot rest with the skill set and knowledge we have today. We must be willing to reach out and network. We must be eager to learn new things, to be alert to trends, and to be vigilant against obsolescence.
Reinvention must continue.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Shelfari
Everything links to everything else. I found an application called Shelfari that allows you to show what books you've read, are reading, or that you own. I learned about it through Facebook. I figured out how to make the changes to my Shelfari book collection show up on Facebook, the Shelfari web site, my Naymz page, and here.
I can't decide if this is geeky, cool, or a little of both.
I can't decide if this is geeky, cool, or a little of both.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Fasting
I'm to undergo a medical procedure tomorrow that requires that I fast all day today. Clear liquids only. Nothing red or purple.
So far, I've consumed a can of chicken broth and sixteen ounces of Gatorade. My wife just went out to buy some ginger ale and more broth.
My son's and daughter's breakfast smelled especially good this morning. He had an omelette and she had waffles with syrup. My stomach growled.
Not eating is making me grumpy. "Quit whining!" my wife said. "You can do this for one day." She's right, of course. I'm glad it's only one day.
So far, I've consumed a can of chicken broth and sixteen ounces of Gatorade. My wife just went out to buy some ginger ale and more broth.
My son's and daughter's breakfast smelled especially good this morning. He had an omelette and she had waffles with syrup. My stomach growled.
Not eating is making me grumpy. "Quit whining!" my wife said. "You can do this for one day." She's right, of course. I'm glad it's only one day.
Monday, September 03, 2007
High school
I've been thinking about high school lately. These past two weekends I drove two hours west to visit my parents. Mom's having some health issues, which have for the most part resolved. I needed to check in on Mom and Dad. I want to appreciate the time we have left.
When I drive through the town and visit the house where I grew up, remembering becomes reflexive. With my kids entering their teens, memories of my own teen years bubble to the surface. They're mostly good memories.
I remember certain individuals and moments from high school almost photographically. More generally, I remember being impatient to finish high school so that I could move on to college and the rest of my life.
I took my high school yearbooks off my parents' bookshelf and carted them home. I showed my class photos to my kids. "You look younger than everyone else," my daughter observed.
I skimmed the sea of fresh, exuberant faces. I perused my friends' comments jotted on the back pages and in the margins. Apart from the kinds of things you would expect to see written in a yearbook, things like "didn't we have fun in such and such a class," "hope we're in some of the same classes next year," and "to a good friend" I found things that I hope still apply to me.
"You're a good listener."
"You're a truly good person."
"You could be an outstanding writer. All it takes is a little self-discipline."
My daughter started high school last week. She's adjusting to her new schedule and a different homework load. I suspect she's also radically changing the way she looks at the world. It was during high school, especially the summer I spent at the Governor's School of North Carolina, when my questions about why things were the way they were became sharper, and my world view became more jaded. My daughter is testing her limits these days, just as I did over thirty years ago. She's thinking that she may want to become a writer.
When I started high school, my parents were younger than I am now, but I think I'm in better physical shape than they were then. My daughter is more self-disciplined about writing than I was then, but I think I may have something of value to teach her now about the craft, the art, and the experience of writing.
Good writing reflects an artful balance of living and remembering. Being present in the moment, at work or in high school, rather than living in anticipation of the next thing. Being honest but not brutal, true but not harsh. Remembering what happened, not what you wanted to happen or wished had happened. I can put words together, but assembling them so that my reader truly experiences what I'm expressing takes work.
I didn't really understand that in high school. I wonder if anyone does? The teacher who wrote that I could be an outstanding writer was admonishing me as much as she was complementing me.
I wish I had heard my teacher more clearly. I hope that my daughter hears me.
When I drive through the town and visit the house where I grew up, remembering becomes reflexive. With my kids entering their teens, memories of my own teen years bubble to the surface. They're mostly good memories.
I remember certain individuals and moments from high school almost photographically. More generally, I remember being impatient to finish high school so that I could move on to college and the rest of my life.
I took my high school yearbooks off my parents' bookshelf and carted them home. I showed my class photos to my kids. "You look younger than everyone else," my daughter observed.
I skimmed the sea of fresh, exuberant faces. I perused my friends' comments jotted on the back pages and in the margins. Apart from the kinds of things you would expect to see written in a yearbook, things like "didn't we have fun in such and such a class," "hope we're in some of the same classes next year," and "to a good friend" I found things that I hope still apply to me.
"You're a good listener."
"You're a truly good person."
"You could be an outstanding writer. All it takes is a little self-discipline."
My daughter started high school last week. She's adjusting to her new schedule and a different homework load. I suspect she's also radically changing the way she looks at the world. It was during high school, especially the summer I spent at the Governor's School of North Carolina, when my questions about why things were the way they were became sharper, and my world view became more jaded. My daughter is testing her limits these days, just as I did over thirty years ago. She's thinking that she may want to become a writer.
When I started high school, my parents were younger than I am now, but I think I'm in better physical shape than they were then. My daughter is more self-disciplined about writing than I was then, but I think I may have something of value to teach her now about the craft, the art, and the experience of writing.
Good writing reflects an artful balance of living and remembering. Being present in the moment, at work or in high school, rather than living in anticipation of the next thing. Being honest but not brutal, true but not harsh. Remembering what happened, not what you wanted to happen or wished had happened. I can put words together, but assembling them so that my reader truly experiences what I'm expressing takes work.
I didn't really understand that in high school. I wonder if anyone does? The teacher who wrote that I could be an outstanding writer was admonishing me as much as she was complementing me.
I wish I had heard my teacher more clearly. I hope that my daughter hears me.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Fall teases
The cooler temperatures we've enjoyed the last two days make me eager for fall. Yesterday I ran 12 in Umstead, running from my usual corner to the Reedy Creek Road bridge that crosses I-40 and then back. Even though it was humid, it was an easier run than last week's when Christopher and I were melting in heat plus humidity.
When I went out to get the newspaper this morning, I wished I had waited to go long today. The crisp air and cool breeze were glorious. I hope it's as pleasant tomorrow morning, when I hope to run 8.
When I went out to get the newspaper this morning, I wished I had waited to go long today. The crisp air and cool breeze were glorious. I hope it's as pleasant tomorrow morning, when I hope to run 8.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Low mileage week
After a long string of 30+ mile weeks, I finished only 23.2 last week. Between starting a new job, getting my daughter to soccer practice, going to the dentist, and presenting at an STC meeting, I simply couldn't squeeze in the workouts. Oh well. I'll try to get back on track this week.
Christopher and I ran 12.2 in Umstead early Saturday morning. It was brutally hot and humid. We encountered Eric as we were heading out of the park and onto Trenton Road. I wanted to see how far it would be to run to work. Eric was training for the City of Oaks Marathon. The three of us ran together for about 5 miles, then he continued down Ebenezer while Christopher and I turned into my neighborhood. By the time Christopher and I finished, we felt as though we had sweat half our body weight. When is this heat going to end?
Christopher and I ran 12.2 in Umstead early Saturday morning. It was brutally hot and humid. We encountered Eric as we were heading out of the park and onto Trenton Road. I wanted to see how far it would be to run to work. Eric was training for the City of Oaks Marathon. The three of us ran together for about 5 miles, then he continued down Ebenezer while Christopher and I turned into my neighborhood. By the time Christopher and I finished, we felt as though we had sweat half our body weight. When is this heat going to end?
First week at SAS
My manager stopped by my office this past Friday afternoon and asked "so how was your first week?" My genuine response was "Great! I'm really glad to be here."
He put this note on the Documentation Development website: "Michael Harvey, a person who seems to hardly need an introduction to our division, started in Business Analytics Documentation on August 20. He has a long career in technical writing, working most recently as a Senior Manager at EMC. Many in Doc Dev already know Michael, whether it be from his stint as a technical writing instructor at Durham Tech, his turn as a manager at Data General, or his leadership roles at the STC Carolina chapter (where he is currently the chapter president)..."
I'm really looking forward to learning about my subject matter (risk management), learning a new set of tools, and adapting to a new professional environment.
He put this note on the Documentation Development website: "Michael Harvey, a person who seems to hardly need an introduction to our division, started in Business Analytics Documentation on August 20. He has a long career in technical writing, working most recently as a Senior Manager at EMC. Many in Doc Dev already know Michael, whether it be from his stint as a technical writing instructor at Durham Tech, his turn as a manager at Data General, or his leadership roles at the STC Carolina chapter (where he is currently the chapter president)..."
I'm really looking forward to learning about my subject matter (risk management), learning a new set of tools, and adapting to a new professional environment.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Getting data OUT of Facebook
Getting data OUT of Facebook by ZDNet's Dennis Howlett -- One of the ongoing criticisms of Facebook is the perception that you can’t get data out. This goes down well with the open source crowd who love nothing better than a walled garden. That perception may be wrong. Here’s how. SAP’s Craig Cmehil scared the living daylights out of me yesterday by pulling some of my [...]
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Only three months
Time is relative. When I start work at SAS on August 20, I may look back and say to myself, "I was out of work for only three months." While I was out of work, the months seemed to drag on and on.
I think it was Einstein who said "When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity."
I think it was Einstein who said "When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity."
Reinventing myself
Here's an article I wrote for the Carolina Communique:
My most difficult task as a manager was to face colleagues, friends in many cases, and deliver the hard message that their position was being eliminated. Sometimes it was because of business conditions. Other times it was due to reorganization or rebalancing. Every time it was gut-wrenching, for the person getting the news and for me, the person who gave it.
Recently, I got the message. And so I am now engaged in a job search.
I began my career with my former employer as a Senior Technical Writer, responsible for TCP/IP and X.25 manuals. I became manager of my group a few years later. My employer rode out a lot of turbulence in the technology marketplace, but not without significant downsizing. A few years after I became a manager, my employer was acquired by another company. The new regime stabilized some uncertainty, but not all. Some years I could hire, other years I had to let people go. Some years I had over a dozen direct reports, other years, I had two or three. By the time we parted ways, I was the only one in my group who was there when I started.
I stayed with the company as long as I did because I was always given a chance to stretch professionally and grow personally. I never wanted for a challenge. I could work with and hire exceptional individuals. Tempted on occasion to take a position elsewhere, I stayed because I got opportunities to play to my strengths and do things I loved doing in the workplace.
Things changed. My organization could not sustain as many senior managers as it had. Tag, I’m it.
I was given thirty days to find another position within the company. If at the end of that time I had not found one, my active employment would end. I got generous help from my Human Resources representative in dealing with the shock and planning my next steps. Most appealing and appropriate positions were out of state. Moving was not an option for my family. So here I am.
It has been disorienting not to make the commute I had made for the past 19 years, and unsettling to realize that, in all likelihood, I will never drive it again. It has been sad not to see the folks I saw every day, exchanging small talk and tackling big problems.
After taking a couple of weeks to decompress, I reentered the job market. I met folks for lunch, networked, and asked for advice. I gathered information about other companies, what they do, how they do it, what they foresee for the future. I reached out to new groups, like TriUPA, the Triangle Usability Professionals Association, and to familiar ones, like STC. I answered the call of a friend and colleague to run again for president of our chapter.
I took advantage of my company’s engagement with a career services firm to learn how to manage my job search more effectively. They coached me on how to fine tune my resume and prepare for interviews. They gave me access to a wealth of resources about how to market myself effectively to an intelligently assembled list of target companies. An effective job search will require me learning and doing new things. It will require reinventing myself from a “Senior Manager, Engineering” for my employer to a “Technical Communication Professional.”
One of the exercises that firm had me do was to survey my professional environment. In other words, understand the trends having an impact on my profession so that I could “avoid dangers, identify opportunities, and make the right decisions about where (I) will best fit…”
In surveying my environment, I repeatedly found that “technical communication” as a profession is in the process of reinventing itself. In a previous column, I wrote about how and why we need to reexamine our job descriptions. A white paper I came across made a similar point. It said:
Technical writing teams face complex challenges as they struggle to help their companies get products to market faster. Increasingly sophisticated technical products and the need to deliver clearly written documentation in multiple media formats and languages are forcing them to work under intense pressure. …managers of technical writing teams have to contend with the widely held perception that the documentation team itself is a cost center and needs to be constrained. ...By adopting an approach that combines single-source technologies, information reuse standards such as DITA and innovative sourcing strategies that include offshoring and outsourcing certain tasks, technical writing teams can leapfrog the perception that they are merely cost centers and prove themselves a source of competitive advantage for their organizations.
We have to prove ourselves a source of competitive advantage. We have to market ourselves and our product in a different way. We have to partner with offshore colleagues, not wish that companies realize an error in engaging them. They won’t – geographically distributed teams are here to stay and some tasks are going to be performed by less costly workers elsewhere from now on. Adapting to our changing profession will mean learning and doing new and different things.
A by-product of my personal reinvention is that I’m now approaching my circumstances positively. My current full-time job is to find a new position where I can play to my strengths and do things I love doing in the workplace. Find a position where I can never want for a challenge, and where I have a chance to stretch professionally and grow personally. It is out there – I will find it.
As I continue my search, I will draw upon my experience and on my research to serve our chapter in the coming year. Even after I find my new position, I will continue to serve as best I can. I now have a keener appreciation of our STC community and the excellence therein. I want to be an active part of it as long as I can.
My most difficult task as a manager was to face colleagues, friends in many cases, and deliver the hard message that their position was being eliminated. Sometimes it was because of business conditions. Other times it was due to reorganization or rebalancing. Every time it was gut-wrenching, for the person getting the news and for me, the person who gave it.
Recently, I got the message. And so I am now engaged in a job search.
I began my career with my former employer as a Senior Technical Writer, responsible for TCP/IP and X.25 manuals. I became manager of my group a few years later. My employer rode out a lot of turbulence in the technology marketplace, but not without significant downsizing. A few years after I became a manager, my employer was acquired by another company. The new regime stabilized some uncertainty, but not all. Some years I could hire, other years I had to let people go. Some years I had over a dozen direct reports, other years, I had two or three. By the time we parted ways, I was the only one in my group who was there when I started.
I stayed with the company as long as I did because I was always given a chance to stretch professionally and grow personally. I never wanted for a challenge. I could work with and hire exceptional individuals. Tempted on occasion to take a position elsewhere, I stayed because I got opportunities to play to my strengths and do things I loved doing in the workplace.
Things changed. My organization could not sustain as many senior managers as it had. Tag, I’m it.
I was given thirty days to find another position within the company. If at the end of that time I had not found one, my active employment would end. I got generous help from my Human Resources representative in dealing with the shock and planning my next steps. Most appealing and appropriate positions were out of state. Moving was not an option for my family. So here I am.
It has been disorienting not to make the commute I had made for the past 19 years, and unsettling to realize that, in all likelihood, I will never drive it again. It has been sad not to see the folks I saw every day, exchanging small talk and tackling big problems.
After taking a couple of weeks to decompress, I reentered the job market. I met folks for lunch, networked, and asked for advice. I gathered information about other companies, what they do, how they do it, what they foresee for the future. I reached out to new groups, like TriUPA, the Triangle Usability Professionals Association, and to familiar ones, like STC. I answered the call of a friend and colleague to run again for president of our chapter.
I took advantage of my company’s engagement with a career services firm to learn how to manage my job search more effectively. They coached me on how to fine tune my resume and prepare for interviews. They gave me access to a wealth of resources about how to market myself effectively to an intelligently assembled list of target companies. An effective job search will require me learning and doing new things. It will require reinventing myself from a “Senior Manager, Engineering” for my employer to a “Technical Communication Professional.”
One of the exercises that firm had me do was to survey my professional environment. In other words, understand the trends having an impact on my profession so that I could “avoid dangers, identify opportunities, and make the right decisions about where (I) will best fit…”
In surveying my environment, I repeatedly found that “technical communication” as a profession is in the process of reinventing itself. In a previous column, I wrote about how and why we need to reexamine our job descriptions. A white paper I came across made a similar point. It said:
Technical writing teams face complex challenges as they struggle to help their companies get products to market faster. Increasingly sophisticated technical products and the need to deliver clearly written documentation in multiple media formats and languages are forcing them to work under intense pressure. …managers of technical writing teams have to contend with the widely held perception that the documentation team itself is a cost center and needs to be constrained. ...By adopting an approach that combines single-source technologies, information reuse standards such as DITA and innovative sourcing strategies that include offshoring and outsourcing certain tasks, technical writing teams can leapfrog the perception that they are merely cost centers and prove themselves a source of competitive advantage for their organizations.
We have to prove ourselves a source of competitive advantage. We have to market ourselves and our product in a different way. We have to partner with offshore colleagues, not wish that companies realize an error in engaging them. They won’t – geographically distributed teams are here to stay and some tasks are going to be performed by less costly workers elsewhere from now on. Adapting to our changing profession will mean learning and doing new and different things.
A by-product of my personal reinvention is that I’m now approaching my circumstances positively. My current full-time job is to find a new position where I can play to my strengths and do things I love doing in the workplace. Find a position where I can never want for a challenge, and where I have a chance to stretch professionally and grow personally. It is out there – I will find it.
As I continue my search, I will draw upon my experience and on my research to serve our chapter in the coming year. Even after I find my new position, I will continue to serve as best I can. I now have a keener appreciation of our STC community and the excellence therein. I want to be an active part of it as long as I can.
1000 miles
Today I ran 5 miles on an out-and-back course into and out of Umstead Park. It was hot and humid, but I felt surprisingly strong coming up the hill on the return leg. When I entered the mileage in my running log, I discovered that I've run 1000 miles in 2007 (so far).
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Inquiring minds want to know
Today I got e-mail from an old friend inviting me to be his friend on Facebook. I accepted the invitation.
Several hours later, I finally stopped tweaking my own Facebook page. I had inserted cross references to this blog. I had uploaded photos from my last two marathons. I had joined a regional network. I could have kept going but the sun was going down and I felt a need to attend to important things in 3-D space.
My cyberspace presence thus expanded, I return to this blog to attempt to record my thoughts about creating a Facebook page.
On the one hand, it feels terribly self-indulgent. Now everyone in the Raleigh-Durham Facebook network can discover that I like the Beatles. That I'm a serious runner. They can see what books I've read recently. They can read these blog entries. Big deal.
On the other, it might lead to like-minded individuals contacting me and sharing information of mutual interest. It might start a correspondence. Spark a potential business venture. Lead to an actual meeting in 3-D space. Who knows what?
My wife is profoundly skeptical of blogs, Facebook entires, and the like. She reveals herself to others in real time in the real world on her terms.
I, more trusting of cyberspace, maybe foolishly so, take the risk.
Several hours later, I finally stopped tweaking my own Facebook page. I had inserted cross references to this blog. I had uploaded photos from my last two marathons. I had joined a regional network. I could have kept going but the sun was going down and I felt a need to attend to important things in 3-D space.
My cyberspace presence thus expanded, I return to this blog to attempt to record my thoughts about creating a Facebook page.
On the one hand, it feels terribly self-indulgent. Now everyone in the Raleigh-Durham Facebook network can discover that I like the Beatles. That I'm a serious runner. They can see what books I've read recently. They can read these blog entries. Big deal.
On the other, it might lead to like-minded individuals contacting me and sharing information of mutual interest. It might start a correspondence. Spark a potential business venture. Lead to an actual meeting in 3-D space. Who knows what?
My wife is profoundly skeptical of blogs, Facebook entires, and the like. She reveals herself to others in real time in the real world on her terms.
I, more trusting of cyberspace, maybe foolishly so, take the risk.
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