Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators

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The Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC) is the UK's largest professional association for those involved in technical communication and information design. [1] [2] [3] It encourages professional education and standards, provides guidance about the value of using professional communicators, and provides research resources and networking opportunities for its members and affiliates.

Technical communication is a means to convey scientific, engineering, or other technical information. Individuals in a variety of contexts and with varied professional credentials engage in technical communication. Some individuals are designated as technical communicators or technical writers. These individuals use a set of methods to research, document, and present technical processes or products. Technical communicators may put the information they capture into paper documents, web pages, computer-based training, digitally stored text, audio, video, and other media. The Society for Technical Communication defines the field as any form of communication that focuses on technical or specialized topics, communicates specifically by using technology or provides instructions on how to do something. More succinctly, the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators defines technical communication as factual communication, usually about products and services. The European Association for Technical Communication briefly defines technical communication as "the process of defining, creating and delivering information products for the safe, efficient and effective use of products ".

Information design is the practice of presenting information in a way that fosters efficient and effective understanding of it. The term has come to be used specifically for graphic design for displaying information effectively, rather than just attractively or for artistic expression. Information design is closely related to the field of data visualization and is often taught as part of graphic design courses.

Contents

History

The ISTC as it is today was created in 1972 from an amalgamation of three associations: the Presentation of Technical Information Group (founded in 1948 [4] ), the Technical Publications Association and the Institute of Technical Publicity & Publications. [5] The institute was incorporated as a limited company on 19 July 1972. [6]

Governance

The ISTC is managed by its Council, with day-to-day running handled by a professional administration company. [7] Members have the opportunity to contribute their ideas, skills and time to specific Steering Groups and can stand for Council.

The ISTC is a member of the Professional Associations Research Network (PARN). This organisation provides a network for professional bodies and offers services and events on subjects such as governance, Continuing Professional Development, ethics and standards, and member relations. The ISTC was one of the sponsors of a project in 2006 to explore the issues affecting professional associations as they grow. [8]

The ISTC has a Code of Professional Practice, with which it expects its members to comply. This was developed in accordance with research carried out by PARN and its author was cited in PARN's third book on ethics. [9]

Membership

Technical communication encompasses a wide range of activities, all with the common thread of communicating complex or important information in the most effective way for the reader. Technical communicators create information that affects people in virtually every industry and area of society. Examples of roles that may be involved in technical communication are:

A technical writer is a professional information communicator whose task is to transfer information (knowledge) between two or more parties, through any medium that best facilitates the transfer and comprehension of the information. Technical writers research and create information through a variety of delivery mediums. Example types of information include online help, manuals, white papers, design specifications, project plans, software test plans, etc. With the rise of e-learning, technical writers are increasingly becoming involved with creating online training material.

Technical illustration process of visually communicating technical concepts or subjects

Technical Illustration is the use of illustration to visually communicate information of a technical nature. Technical illustrations can be components of technical drawings or diagrams. Technical illustrations in general aim "to generate expressive images that effectively convey certain information via the visual channel to the human observer".

An index is a list of words or phrases ('headings') and associated pointers ('locators') to where useful material relating to that heading can be found in a document or collection of documents. Examples are an index in the back matter of a book and an index that serves as a library catalog.

The ISTC offers several grades of individual membership. There are two corporate grades, Member (MISTC) and Fellow (FISTC), and two non-corporate grades, Associate and Student. Corporate grades are entitled to vote at the ISTC's AGM. Members cite a sense of community as an important factor in their continued membership. [10]

Organisations can join the ISTC as Business Affiliates.

Publications

The ISTC publishes periodicals and books: [11]

Events

The ISTC organises an annual conference, Technical Communication UK, which is held in September. [12] [13]

Awards

The ISTC makes annual awards:

International

The ISTC participates in the international technical communication profession through its membership of two umbrella organisations:

The ISTC was one of the founder members of both organisations, INTECOM in 1970 [18] and TCeurope in 2002. [19]

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References

  1. ↑ Profile of ISTC published by TCeurope
  2. ↑ ABOUT ISTC. Copyright © 2000 Quality Independent Authors.
  3. ↑ The Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators. Site © copyright AST 2007.
  4. ↑ Involvement of Reginald Kapp in the PTI Group and the ISTC
  5. ↑ Hockley, H R: "Communicator", May 1972, page 1. ITPP, 1972.
  6. ↑ limited company, 01061923
  7. ↑ Administration Services Ltd client list
  8. ↑ Williams, C; Woodhead, S: "The Growing Pains of Smaller Professional Associations: Key Issues and Interesting Practice". PARN, June 2007).
  9. ↑ Friedman, A: "Ethical Competence and Professional Associations", pages 109-111. PARN, 2007 ( ISBN   978-0-9545487-7-3).
  10. ↑ Newell, M: "Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators", page 4. France Connexion, STC France Chapter, 2008
  11. ↑ Centre for Distance Learning listing for Professional Communication and Information Design
  12. ↑ Royal Institute of British Architecture listing for ISTC annual conference
  13. ↑ "TCUK 2019 – Technical Communication UK Conference – 10-12 September" . Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  14. ↑ Lloyds Register announcement of win
  15. ↑ Sheffield Hallam University announcement of win
  16. ↑ Watson, M: "Communicator", Winter 2004, pages 14-15. ISTC, 2004.
  17. ↑ Risku, H: "Communicator", Winter 2005, page 32-33. ISTC, 2005.
  18. ↑ Hockley, H R: "Communicator", July 1974, page 2. ISTC, 1974.
  19. ↑ Fisk, A: "Communicator", Spring/Summer 2002, page 28. ISTC, 2002.
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