STC Usability SIG Newsletter
Usability Interface

The Pulse of the SIG:
Transformation Update

by Karen Bachmann 

Those of you who were able to attend this year’s annual conference in Baltimore can attest to the high quality and quantity of usability sessions available, starting with the keynote by Ben Shneiderman, who was also a special guest at our business meeting. As usability becomes more visible in the greater STC community in activities such as this, I’m inclined to suggest—while not denying my bias—that usability has moved from a special interest to a core practice for technical communication. If this idea is correct, it does not eliminate the need for our community focused on this area. It actually increases such a need to make sure that we are providing the best possible value to our members, to the Society, and to the profession.

Transformation

Increasing value is, as Andrea points out in her article, the key impetus for the current transformation effort underway. I am pleased that the Usability SIG was asked to be a pilot community in the first stages of implementing that effort. We will be one of the first communities to create a new charter.

As I write this article, some interesting discussions are taking place on our listserv in response to my request for input on our new charter, which will have been submitted July 30.

I have asked members to consider the following questions about what the value of our community means to them:

1. What do you value most about the Usability SIG?
2. What current services do you benefit from and want to keep?
3. What other programs or activities would you like to see the community offer?
4. If other STC members or professional peers ask you about the SIG, what are your top reasons to join?
5. What do you wish you could say to convince them of the value?
6. What value does the Usability SIG have for the larger STC community? Can it interact and share with other communities to better satisfy your needs?

If you are not on the listserv, first, consider joining. Visit the list FAQ page for details about subscribing.

Second, do not think that your voice is not important in this issue. The key questions I asked are not relevant only to the re-chartering effort, but to the continued relevance and, yes, value of our community to all of us. Your feedback and answers to what the value of our community is to you is always welcome and needed, through the communication channel that works best for you.

Outcome of the Usability SIG Business Meeting

One point that was brought up in our business meeting and again in the listserv discussion is that our community should promote technical communication as one of the "related disciplines" so often stated in usability job postings. Dr. Shneiderman shared his ideas about making our skills and contributions known outside the STC, challenging us to promote usability and technical communication to government and industry. An idea suggested was that of writing a letter to recruiters describing how technical communication and usability relate and why technical communicators should be considered for usability positions. Carol Barnum agreed to take first steps, but needs collaborators. I am sure that we have other creative ideas for promoting ourselves and our contributions to employers, to the various industries we serve, and to our usability colleagues.

Clearly, the transformation effort has already offered some great ideas for improving how our community supports our professional development—and it’s only just beginning. If you have questions, ideas, or concerns about the transformation or any of the initiatives that result from our discussions, please feel free to email me at Karen@seaconinc.com.