KeyContent.org Blog

This is a response to a blog post by Larry Kunz, Technical communication trends in the 2010s. I think at some point we need to stop talking about the future as if we can really see any trends when what we are really trying to figure out is the present. Larry has barely touched the surface about the dynamic nature of our business and the extent of change that will occur, and even now is occurring. Here are three fairly major trends that Larry seems to have forgotten to mention anything about:

1. Recognize that change is part of normal operating procedure. Don't keep looking at trends as if they are out there in the future. They're happening now and we will have to adjust to changes that are continuing to occur.
Recognize that we will have to wear many hats and change them often.

2. Social media is a way of seeing the use of the Web. We don't control the conversation and we shouldn't try. Recognize that the Web is our friend, not just another (or a multiple-faceted) media, it is THE media but it is also a different type of media than ever before because it allows interaction and participation in ways that were never possible with other media.

3. We are still far from getting enough online. I know it's tough for a lot of people (look at executives) and for a lot of types of data (look at medical records) but it all has to get online eventually. And it has to interconnect.

I'm hoping this is the beginning of the discussion about trends in our profession. We should be able to know what is going on in our profession, but let's not pretend that the world is static or that we are not connecting in new ways and connecting with information in new ways.