Transforming STC

by Thea Teich, STC President, Andrea Ames, STC First Vice President, and Suzanna Laurent, STC Second Vice President

Transformation: Whys and Wherefores

Technical communication is often defined as any effort that makes it possible for people to get the most from the technology in their lives. Under that broad umbrella come all the activities in which technical communicators have found themselves involved: instructional design, information architecture, marketing communications, documentation development, usability, management, training, writing and editing-whatever is necessary to make our companies' and clients' products and services acceptable, understandable, and accessible to customers and users.

As technical communicators, we are all aware that change is a basic parameter of our profession. By definition, we try to make technical information understandable and accessible to audiences who are not knowledgeable about the related field. Therefore, because technical information is ever changing, we accept the fact that our work will continually vary and be constantly in flux. It's just the nature of the beast.

So, it really should come as no surprise that as time goes on, different requirements are demanded of us. It seems that just as soon as we feel comfortable with a particular work flow, software package, or job description, it is "folded, spindled, and mutilated," i.e., transformed into something new that we must adapt to, learn, and use.

If we agree that change is a guaranteed, albeit sometimes unwelcome, component of our profession, then it follows that the associations, organizations, activities, and avocations that we turn to for support, assistance, relationships, and education-among other things-must also change so they can continue to meet our needs and the needs of the technical communicators who are currently in training.

This is the essence of the purpose of the STC transformation initiative: basically, it's to keep up with you. So with that in mind, the overall goals of the transformation effort have been defined as follows:

• Increase the breadth, relevance and value of the services delivered to members.

• Create a long-term platform for financial stability.

• Promote membership growth.

• Enable STC to be a leader and advocate for the Technical Communication professions and their practitioners.

• In defining the goals for transformation, it is equally important to be clear about what this transformation effort is NOT trying to do: It is not focused on solving our short-term financial pain. (Although that is certainly being addressed in a separate forum). It is about evolving towards a more stable business model for the future.

• It is not about dismantling, strangling, or in other ways undermining the Chapters.

• It is not a secret agenda to eliminate the publications.

Obviously, this transformation effort is not something we have just suddenly undertaken. The board's work on governance in 2000-2001 first identified the need for the Society to change how it operated in order to assure its future. One major change that resulted from that governance work was an increased reliance on the professional staff in the STC office for our burgeoning operations, with the board moving toward a policy-setting orientation. Although we're not completely there yet, we know this is the correct and inevitable path for an organization of our size and aspirations.

This transformation effort will not be completed by June of 2004; indeed, no recommendations have yet been made to the board. And while we anticipate quick adoption of some recommendations, implementation of some of the programs or operation changes may be several years away.

Transformation is a process and while change is rarely any fun, STC as we currently know it must change-because our membership is changing. So please remember that all this focus and effort is directed at one thing only.to make things better for you, STC's members.

In the next communication, we will share with you the participants in the extended Transformation team, their roles and the thought processes that guide them. Following that, we will share the Transformation principles and methodology that we have adopted to guide the effort. Finally, with those foundations laid, we will share the results of the key milestones as they are reached. We are making great progress already, and are looking forward to sharing the results.