It's funny but in my current job I do both UX writing and tech writing 😆. But I never thought of being a product manager/scrum master. Tbh they feel very high pressure eventho I know they are really good skills to have. I would love to be a knowledge manager or an information architect but wonder where I can get those jobs.
Technical writers often do both, even though both professions have their own distinctions and are worth separating.
Knowledge manager/information architect is a great direction. I am convinced all of us technical writers evolving there, especially with the emergance of AIs.
If you want to stay in the field of technical writing, I can only recommend you to dive deeper into technical topics, especially:
- How do LLMs (Large Language Models) work?
- How do you need to structure and write documentation for AI?
- How to model and apply meta data concepts for AI-based documentation?
If you have specific wishes for future articles, let me know. For example, I could give introductions on the requirered skills for an information architect mentioned above. Just let me know what would be useful to you. 😊
One thing about the PM/Scrum master role:
As a technical writer, you actually have a great foundation for becoming both a scrum master and a product manager.
Both jobs require great communication skills and the ability to understandably explain complex topics.
High pressure, yes. But that also depends on the company and environment. I had companies, in which I had more pressure as a technical writer than I had as a product manager in other companies. It is relative.
Don't let it discourage you if those just are otherwise interesting to you.
I loved it the moment I read it. It is so true. I have been using ChatGPT a lot lately, e.g. for drafting out sections for technical documentation or a Python script.
You have to know what you are doing in the first place to create a suitable prompt. And even then, it just doesn't get the nuanced right - especially considering the target group's knowledge gap or writing translation friendly.
Just try it out with something really simple. For instance, ask it to proofread your content without changing your tone of voice. You have to be quite specific, otherwise it will turn your writing into something that doesn't resemble your style.
If you want to use it for coding, it is absolutely helpful to understand the principles of programming. Otherwise, it will always be difficult to follow what it did.
What a useful list! Thank you!
I am glad you find it useful. Thank you for the feedback! 😊
It's funny but in my current job I do both UX writing and tech writing 😆. But I never thought of being a product manager/scrum master. Tbh they feel very high pressure eventho I know they are really good skills to have. I would love to be a knowledge manager or an information architect but wonder where I can get those jobs.
You are by far not alone with that mix of jobs. 😊
Technical writers often do both, even though both professions have their own distinctions and are worth separating.
Knowledge manager/information architect is a great direction. I am convinced all of us technical writers evolving there, especially with the emergance of AIs.
If you want to stay in the field of technical writing, I can only recommend you to dive deeper into technical topics, especially:
- How do LLMs (Large Language Models) work?
- How do you need to structure and write documentation for AI?
- How to model and apply meta data concepts for AI-based documentation?
If you have specific wishes for future articles, let me know. For example, I could give introductions on the requirered skills for an information architect mentioned above. Just let me know what would be useful to you. 😊
One thing about the PM/Scrum master role:
As a technical writer, you actually have a great foundation for becoming both a scrum master and a product manager.
Both jobs require great communication skills and the ability to understandably explain complex topics.
High pressure, yes. But that also depends on the company and environment. I had companies, in which I had more pressure as a technical writer than I had as a product manager in other companies. It is relative.
Don't let it discourage you if those just are otherwise interesting to you.
Well broken down and laid out Andreas!
Thank you, Grace! Really appreciate the feedback. 😊
Love the quote. This is an excellent introduction to an ongoing problem in the labor market—skills mismatch.
I loved it the moment I read it. It is so true. I have been using ChatGPT a lot lately, e.g. for drafting out sections for technical documentation or a Python script.
You have to know what you are doing in the first place to create a suitable prompt. And even then, it just doesn't get the nuanced right - especially considering the target group's knowledge gap or writing translation friendly.
I’ve found getting started with ChatGPT so hard that I haven’t tried. I saw someone input a prompt with a query online and I couldn’t keep up.
Just try it out with something really simple. For instance, ask it to proofread your content without changing your tone of voice. You have to be quite specific, otherwise it will turn your writing into something that doesn't resemble your style.
If you want to use it for coding, it is absolutely helpful to understand the principles of programming. Otherwise, it will always be difficult to follow what it did.