On Jan 11, 2007, at 2:00 PM, Robert Shelton wrote: >> >>> On 1/11/07, Gene Kim-Eng <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>> Check this out: >>> >>> Dyeing The Pink Collar Mauve: Understanding Technical Communication >>> As >>> A Gendered Solution To Learning, Career And Information Technology >>> Demands >>> >>> http://www.wallnetwork.ca/research/BJubasPaper.pdf >>> >>> "The development of more feminized niches within the IT field is >>> presented as a response by some women to the learning, career and IT >>> demands of the knowledge-based society. Technical communication seems >>> to be one of these niches." > > Actually, there is a reason why technical writers tend to be women -- it's a social job. You must interact with a lot of people, keep on good terms with them all, pry information out of them, and so on. You may also need political navigation skills (say team A hates team B because their old boss jumped ship to team B -- how do you get info from both teams)? Handling these kinds of issues is what women have been doing since at least the days of royal courts, if not long before. It's something they're probably instinctually better at, perhaps even designed to do.
People gravitate towards jobs they're good at doing, so it's really only natural that women end up as technical writers. That doesn't explain the desires of any individual person, of course, but it does demonstrate why women may find the job easier or may be attracted to it. On the flip side, I was attracted to technical writing because it allowed me to build things -- castles of words. In order to do that, you have to know about castles, and you have to know about words. Tarage ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DITA West 2007--Use a discount code of "TECHCOMMPROS" to get a discount rate of $200 off the $800 price if you register before close of business January 15, 2007. http://www.travelthepath.com/conf/dita2007.shtml _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
