Of all the positions I've worked, this is the first opportunity I've earned to put my knowledge to full practice. Being hired as a technical writer, one who makes a livable wage and is treated with respect, has been a trip. I don't know what else to call it. I've been in secretarial positions and client facing positions for so long, it's incredible to me that I don't have to interact with a customer base daily. In fact, I only talk to internal employees. 

I've gotten a wide array of responses to being a technical writer. Some ask why I'm there, if I'm busy at all, but most ask about what this job really consists of. It boggles my mind to realize how many employees interact with technical documentation every day, but don't make the connection of its importance to their every day tasks. To make it easier to explain, I simplify it into a joke, "If I do my job right, you won't have to answer questions from interns because the document will already answer all their questions" - it gets a few laughs, sometimes. 

It's a struggle with my students as well, many of them balk at me when I remind them that they'll never escape writing. They rebuke back, "well, I'm an engineer" or "I do math, I'll never have to do that" etc. I challenge them with my experience. I've worked with engineers, researchers, and as of late with a financial company. Writing never leaves the picture - no matter what industry. They're in part correct, it won't be a 5 paragraph essay or a cover letter. But they'll never be able to dodge reports, white papers, memos, emails, meeting notes etc.

The workplace is saturated with writing - and a wide variety of audiences to appeal to. In my last post I argued that rhetoric focused curriculum should be integrated into earlier schooling because it assists students in reading their environments and adaptation to situations much easier. It should also be taught through the lens of the professional workplace. But understanding the basics of technical writings, and applying knowledge of the audience as an advantage, communication can be improved in the workplace. 

Technical writing can benefit companies in several ways: 

• Reduce training time for interns and new employees 
• Make clear expectations for each role to reduce responsibility tensions
• Creates a paper trail of versions when software or procedures are updated 
• Ensures a simpler way to hold employees accountable - when documentation is not available, it can be easy to make mistakes
• Reduces workflow disruption - if someone is sick or out who completes a specific task daily, somebody can take over without delay because they have documentation to fall back on 
• Ensures a brighter future at the workplace by cultivating clearer communication 

If you've ever struggled through training, had trouble adjusting to a job because the information is overwhelming to understand verbally, or encounter too many methods of completing a task, your workplace may need a technical writer. If you'd like to talk more about this subject or have questions, please leave a comment or contact me. 

I studied architecture in high school for 3 years and readily applied the concepts during my time as an art student. Although I ended up getting my degree in professional writing/rhetoric instead, I still carry over many of those theories in my work. As of late, I've decided that I'll continue my exploration of spatiality, the effect of space, what it implicates for purpose and how it binds the body to behavior. 

To create a more palpable relation to the academic space I'm working in, I'll be relating the ideas to classroom spaces and maybe even labs for collaboration and experimentation. We discussed making and makerspaces along with the "internet of things" and Between Bits and Atoms, a piece written by Jentery Sayers and others. 

Bits and Atoms addressed a number of ideas regarding physical computing and desktop fabrication - they discuss what all of these developments in making mean to the digital humanities. They touch on responsibly using materials, convival computing, and they point out the many uses that fabrication can bring to a number of disciplines. They put quite a bit of focus on what those technologies have done to their makerspaces. 

Makerspaces are exactly what they sound like. A space in which one makes. Since it's an action based title - the room must facilitate the variety of actions implied. Creating a space in which everyone can make and be actionable is really challenging. Most classrooms and lab spaces confine the students to structures that sort of inhibit the desired actions. I.e - the classroom where I hosts workshops, none of the tables can be moved and the chairs are wickedly diverse. Which leads to students getting frustrated when they can't form groups easily or turn and discuss things with a classmate. 

I find that very rarely do Universities, businesses or institutions take the time to design the spaces to encourage their desired outcomes. Technology has made these rooms even more complicated in many ways. Often time, people see different types of technology as black boxed wonder to solve all their problems in the classroom - but without addressing the technology from a spatial and adoption/adaption lens, the integration may be horribly unsuccessful. 

I suggest - after this sort of disorganized rambling - to think before we make spaces. I have no authority to change these patterns of design - but I think it's important to say on the record anyway. If we were to create spaces with their end goals in mind, or at least what they expect to be accomplished in that room, the making would improve.