I was reading a blog post called Top 50 Technical Writers on the Web and prepared to submit the names I thought were missing from the list. Then, I realized that many of us have our own “Top 50” list…those industry leaders who made a huge impact on our career. Several in our industry have published their lists, such as the annual list by MindTouch. So, I thought I would list several industry leaders who have influenced me a great deal over the years.
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How is the role of technical communicators changing? What skills should we be focused on for future success?

With content coming from many sources and contributors throughout the community, technical communicators can feel threatened. For many years, we were the sole developers of content, carefully crafting each phrase to deliver information clearly and concisely. As social media expands, our skills for crafting the message may become less important and less valued.

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I am currently part of the program team for the 2010 STC Summit in Dallas, Texas. We are working together to make sure we create a quality conference program for all attendees. The real question is…what makes a great conference?

I have attended many conferences over the years, and I have helped to organize the programs for several in the past. I hear many comments about whether a conference was good or bad, but often those comments include few details. Many aspects of a conference, such as networking times, social events, and vendor opportunities, affect the overall experience. However, I’m interested in the part the program sessions play in the overall experience and conference rating.

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If you have seen The Matrix, you may remember the scene where Neo awakens in his “power cell” cocoon, looks out at all the other cocoons, and realizes how much he never knew was happening around him. This scene raises the point for me that…the more you know, the more you know you don’t know.

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