Technical communication

[thelost]

I have a BS in CS, an MLIS and I'm interested in studying usability issues. Recently I applied for PhD's in library and information science. I haven't heard back from them yet, but I'm fearing the worst. I stumbled across technical communication when I was looking at i-schools. I didn't apply to any of the technical communication programs though because I noticed they were typically run by communications or English departments.

Is technical communication mostly about writing technical documents?

I'm confused by the curriculum's. They look like they might be a fit me (courses in usability, document design, user centered design, etc.) and some of the faculty have the same interests of me. However, I'm concerned I wouldn't be a fit because I don't have a background in communication or English. Am I too computer oriented?

[techcommie]

I have a BS in CS, an MLIS and I'm interested in studying usability issues. Recently I applied for PhD's in library and information science. I haven't heard back from them yet, but I'm fearing the worst. I stumbled across technical communication when I was looking at i-schools. I didn't apply to any of the technical communication programs though because I noticed they were typically run by communications or English departments.

Is technical communication mostly about writing technical documents?

I'm confused by the curriculum's. They look like they might be a fit me (courses in usability, document design, user centered design, etc.) and some of the faculty have the same interests of me. However, I'm concerned I wouldn't be a fit because I don't have a background in communication or English. Am I too computer oriented?

Hi thelost. I am a tech com undergrad, and until recently was looking into grad programs with a usability/user centered design focus. Here's my perspective.

A straight technical communication program will include elements of usability. Certainly understanding of the user is critical to all aspects of technical communication. However, you won't necessarily take classes that are explicitly about usability studies. I took one last semester, but tech com programs are not standardized. You can expect, however, to have a pretty broad education, ranging from topics like visual communication to technical editing to rhetoric to information management, and you will learn a lot of tools, like RoboHelp and the Adobe Creative Suite. And yes, since they are often housed in English and Communication departments (although there are exceptions), the norm is still a strong emphasis on writing and communication principles. I can definitely say that most programs have a far larger scope than simply writing user manuals, though. That kind of narrow focus went out several decades ago. Technical communication today is about information architecture, instruction design, prototyping and interface design, technology marketing--this applications are extensive. (See stc.org for more information.)

If you know you want to do usability, though, I would go more in that specific direction. One very interesting program is University of Washington's Human Centered Design and Engineering program, which is housed in the school of engineering. Until 2009 this department was a technical communication program. However, they are now targeted on user experience/usability/human factors, and have a very substantial research component funded by large tech corporations, while the rhetoric and communication aspects are still in place from when it was tech com. Their website has a list of peer schools which are also in the area of usability. Check out Carnegie Mellon's Human Computer Interaction program and MIT's Media Lab. Stanford has a good HCI group too which is housed in the CS dept.

Regarding your background, you are absolutely not at a disadvantage, whether you apply to a tech com program or an HCI or Human Factors program. The applicant pool to all of these programs is very diverse. Your technical knowledge will even put you ahead of the pack in some instances (definitely in HCI). You will likely have to take some bridging courses for tech com programs, but that's not a big deal.

Some good tech com graduate programs are Texas Tech, University of Minnesota, and RPI. Good luck with your decision!

[thelost]

Thanks for the info techcommie. HCI is a tricky field. It's multidisciplinary and many departments say they specialize in it.

[iSchoolHopeful]

I'm confused by the curriculum's. They look like they might be a fit me (courses in usability, document design, user centered design, etc.) and some of the faculty have the same interests of me. However, I'm concerned I wouldn't be a fit because I don't have a background in communication or English. Am I too computer oriented?

I was also a tech comm undergrad.

I definitely don't think you're too computer-oriented. A lot of tech comm programs desperately want students who are more hands-on. They're flooded with applications by Creative Writing Majors Who Can't Find Jobs. But the key to technical communication is understanding the science/technology you're writing about, so that you can explain it more clearly. Technically oriented people are at a great advantage in that aspect.

The level of acceptance and comfort you'd find in the program will really depend on the school, however. You'd find your niche in a tech comm program housed in the engineering school (ie. University of Washington) or a program at an engineering school (Michigan Tech, RPI).