Technical writing is an occupation that requires new skills and knowledge update all the time. Sometimes, such simple things as sharing experiences or answering questions from colleagues can help to solve a lot of problems. That’s why professional communities for tech writers are still highly popular. We’ve already posted an article that tells about professional technical writing communities – Technical Writing Professional Associations. But that was long ago, and a lot has surely changed. Let’s see what tech writing communities are on top today.
Write the Docs
Write the Docs is one of the most popular groups at the moment.
They have meetups, regular newsletters, conferences in Prague and Portland, videos on YouTube, and many other things. Their Slack channels allow discussing all the things that are relevant to you – from job posts to career advice. There are default channels and topical ones. This is a great source of information for tech writers to stay informed. In fact, this community is not only for technical writers but for all those people who are engaged in technical communication – developers, customer support, marketing specialists, and others.
The latest conference took place in Portland, April 25-27, 2021. It was virtual as many conferences nowadays, but there were about 700 attendees, which is a lot! The conference highlighted the problems and challenges of creating software documentation. Videos of talks are available.
Society for Technical Communication (STC)
The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is one of the oldest professional associations for technical writers aimed at the advancement of technical communication. It exists in many countries around the world. It helps in certification, education, and professional development in the sphere of technical communication. Its members come from various fields, they have a lot of experience and expertise. If you are looking for professional development – this community is for you. The STC’s virtual Technical Communication Summit took place on 5-9 June 2021. Here is the Summit overview.
Australian Society for Technical Communication (ASTC)
The Australian Society for Technical Communication (ASTC) is a professional group for those who work with technical information in Australia. It is one of the numerous branches of the STC. They are dedicated experts in the field. The organization supports technical communication in many ways: networking, professional development, learning. Its members have vast experience and knowledge from different spheres. So they can not only provide relevant information but contribute to one’s professional development.
ClickHelp is a big friend of ASTC. This year we hosted a webinar for ASTC members to provide a detailed ClickHelp overview. You can watch the webinar video.
The next ASTC virtual Conference is going to take place in October 2021.
Tekom Europe
Tekom Europe is the largest technical communication association in Europe, its history dates back to 1978. It contributes to the development of technical writing as an occupation and training technical writers, taking into consideration the latest requirements in the sphere. Another important area is the standardization of work. Tekom Europe contributes to the creation of high-quality information products worldwide by working out high-quality standards. The goal of Tekom Europe is to promote the interests of all parties involved in technical communication. tcworld Conference 2021 is coming in November.
American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) is a resource for medical communicators. Actually, this is the largest association for medical communicators. Medical writing is far more different from writing in other industries. That is why medical writers have their own community that can help them with education, certification, career advancement, and many other things. Its mission is to provide resources for medical communication to make it perfect. It will guide you in a wide variety of news, trends, and tools. Here you can see the list of conferences of the AMWA.
Institute of Scientific and Technical communication (ISTC)
The Institute of Scientific and Technical communication (ISTC) is the largest technical communication organization in the UK. It contributes to professional development, sharing experiences and best practices, promoting technical communication as a profession. The main goal of the ISTC technical communicators in the UK is to interact with each other online or in person.
Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW)
Of course, we cannot help mentioning the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW). It unites teachers, practitioners, researchers in the sphere of technical communication. They produce the academic journal, Technical Communication Quarterly, in which they tell the audience about pedagogical approaches, digital technologies, communication design, and many other relevant topics. The latest conference, “Language, Access, and Power in Technical Communication,” took place in June 2021.
Conclusion
Technical communication is a constantly changing process. People choose the easiest ways of perceiving information. That is why technical communicators are to adapt to the new rules and reality. The above-mentioned organizations, associations, and conferences form the backbone of the technical communication industry. They help experts keep track of the latest tendencies and polish their skills. Communication with colleagues is always a priceless experience that helps tech comm members develop as professionals quickly and efficiently. The ClickHelp Team created this list for you to find the best source of information. Become a member of organizations like that, read articles, watch videos, take part in conferences – be an authority in technical communication!
Good luck with your technical writing!
ClickHelp Team
Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices
