I know personally my "entry level editing" position easily became one that required designing compiled help systems and other documentation, and is hopefully going to move to helping design interfaces for their new software, as well as designing expansions to their current documentation (ie. reference cards and other formats for different needs). F'ex, I want to re-tool their current user assistance CHM's (which I wrote anyway, so, don't get me wrong, I've just learned since then), and work with the developers to make a usable interface for software that is packed full of features but damn hard to use right now.
I don't know if that's possible everywhere, though I imagine in a lot of big companies there are chances to move laterally? There are also distance education, professional groups, and volunteer opportunities. Tech communication still provides a good background and a good place to start in my experience. Cheers, Erica -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of allison Sent: November 9, 2008 6:50 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] What to choose? (technical writer or technical tester) Question for everyone else, though: how can Ali, and others in the position, continue to build the type of experience that will help him move into an interaction design position in the future? While I do understand the advice of everyone above, at the end of a stint as a techwriter, aren't you still lacking interaction design experience? How can you build your experience in design if you don't have any opportunities to build your experience in design? Both of Ali's positions seem related, but realistically if he wants to move into a more design-focused position, what can he (or anyone) do to build their experience/portfolio to the level that hiring managers want? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=35392 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
