Comments on: Technical Writing vs Instructional Designing – Is it really a tug of war? http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/ One Stop Resource for Instructional Design Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:28:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Wbouchard http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-11851 Wbouchard Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:56:04 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-11851 As both an Instructional Designer, eLearning Designer and Technical writer I would have to say the main fundamental difference between the two is that Instructional Designers spend all their time writing and developing for the adult learner who learns differently than a college student. Whereas the Technical Writer spends most of their time trying to make a complex set of instructions readable to the average user - not necessarily an adult learner. Other than that they are to me the same. As both an Instructional Designer, eLearning Designer and Technical writer I would have to say the main fundamental difference between the two is that Instructional Designers spend all their time writing and developing for the adult learner who learns differently than a college student. Whereas the Technical Writer spends most of their time trying to make a complex set of instructions readable to the average user – not necessarily an adult learner.
Other than that they are to me the same.

]]> By: Relationships between Tech Writing and Instructional Design | Technicalities http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-11435 Relationships between Tech Writing and Instructional Design | Technicalities Sat, 20 Aug 2011 21:40:33 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-11435 [...] Technical Wrting vs Instructional Designing: Is it Really a Tug of War?(from The Writers Gateway: One Stop Resource for Instructional Design) [...] [...] Technical Wrting vs Instructional Designing: Is it Really a Tug of War?(from The Writers Gateway: One Stop Resource for Instructional Design) [...]

]]> By: Brandy http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-10294 Brandy Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:01:13 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-10294 As someone who has a BA in Technical Writing, taught Language Arts and am now an ID for the largest automaker in the world, with experience I can say there are advantages to both professions. To transition from ID to TW or TW to ID isn't difficult nor a stretch. There are many tools and tricks that are known only to those who practice the trade full-time so a person in transition wouldn't be aware of them. Neither role is greater than the other, but a passion for one profession or the other usually makes all the difference in the product. As someone who has a BA in Technical Writing, taught Language Arts and am now an ID for the largest automaker in the world, with experience I can say there are advantages to both professions. To transition from ID to TW or TW to ID isn’t difficult nor a stretch. There are many tools and tricks that are known only to those who practice the trade full-time so a person in transition wouldn’t be aware of them. Neither role is greater than the other, but a passion for one profession or the other usually makes all the difference in the product.

]]> By: Difference Between Technical Writing and Instructional Design | Technical Writing Tips http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-10236 Difference Between Technical Writing and Instructional Design | Technical Writing Tips Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:33:34 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-10236 [...] ask me about the difference between Technical Writing and Instructional Design. I had written a post about this earlier and also argued that you require more or less the same kind of skills for both [...] [...] ask me about the difference between Technical Writing and Instructional Design. I had written a post about this earlier and also argued that you require more or less the same kind of skills for both [...]

]]> By: Difference Between Technical Writing and Instructional Design http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-10179 Difference Between Technical Writing and Instructional Design Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:51:48 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-10179 [...] ask me about the difference between Technical Writing and Instructional Design. I had written a post about this earlier and also argued that you require more or less the same kind of skills for both [...] [...] ask me about the difference between Technical Writing and Instructional Design. I had written a post about this earlier and also argued that you require more or less the same kind of skills for both [...]

]]> By: ashutosh http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-8215 ashutosh Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:21:14 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-8215 Nice article, but I will have to stick to ID. No offence intended to TWs. Nice article, but I will have to stick to ID. No offence intended to TWs.

]]> By: Raju http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2366 Raju Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:13:32 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-2366 Actually Technical Writers need to learn some instructional design. Right now, technical documentation has moved on from plain writing to content design / information development. Actually Technical Writers need to learn some instructional design. Right now, technical documentation has moved on from plain writing to content design / information development.

]]> By: Kurt in USA http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2112 Kurt in USA Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:11:54 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-2112 one more point I should add. I think it is less likely that a TW could work as an ID. I have actually seen that fail. But a TW is a very good candidate to become a good ID if they get ID training. one more point I should add. I think it is less likely that a TW could work as an ID. I have actually seen that fail. But a TW is a very good candidate to become a good ID if they get ID training.

]]> By: Kurt in USA http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-2111 Kurt in USA Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:09:05 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-2111 This was an interesting discussion to read through. I have worked in both areas, and also worked as a researcher into ID processes and instructional writing, and believe that the two professions have much overlap but are very different. Like in a Venn Diagram, you can find a large overlap area between TW and ID but also areas of no overlap. Instructional Designers often are tasked to design classroom or computer-based training which requires the use of learning objectives, consideration of interaction and learning theory, and development of test items. This is an area where TW are usually not asked to work. Technical Writers may sometimes be asked to write instructional manuals, and they may follow a similar systematic process of interacting with SMEs and working through try-outs of their materials with revisions. This is the area of overlap. But Tech Writers also may write user documentation and reference materials and even help with business writing for their technology clients. This is usually not the domain of ID. What I think would be interesting though would be some type of ID certification for technical writing, that might help Instructional Designers get work as TWs, and might allow them to also improve the design of user manuals and tutorials. This was an interesting discussion to read through. I have worked in both areas, and also worked as a researcher into ID processes and instructional writing, and believe that the two professions have much overlap but are very different. Like in a Venn Diagram, you can find a large overlap area between TW and ID but also areas of no overlap. Instructional Designers often are tasked to design classroom or computer-based training which requires the use of learning objectives, consideration of interaction and learning theory, and development of test items. This is an area where TW are usually not asked to work. Technical Writers may sometimes be asked to write instructional manuals, and they may follow a similar systematic process of interacting with SMEs and working through try-outs of their materials with revisions. This is the area of overlap. But Tech Writers also may write user documentation and reference materials and even help with business writing for their technology clients. This is usually not the domain of ID.

What I think would be interesting though would be some type of ID certification for technical writing, that might help Instructional Designers get work as TWs, and might allow them to also improve the design of user manuals and tutorials.

]]> By: Wiseandcool http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/2009/07/17/technical-writing-vs-instructional-designing-is-it-really-a-tug-of-war/comment-page-1/#comment-1909 Wiseandcool Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:44:17 +0000 http://blog.thewritersgateway.com/?p=1808#comment-1909 Chill guys, whatever may come, these two professions are going to remain with their own unique individuality. Twins look alike, but they behave differently! Just because twins look similar doesnt mean anyone of the twins would be okay for a given task! A snow leopard and a leopard belong to same family but hey you cant expect them to change their habitat. May whatever be the outcome of this debate (if there is any!) the bottomline is that companies will continue to have twin A for job A and twin B for job B. Chill guys, whatever may come, these two professions are going to remain with their own unique individuality. Twins look alike, but they behave differently! Just because twins look similar doesnt mean anyone of the twins would be okay for a given task! A snow leopard and a leopard belong to same family but hey you cant expect them to change their habitat. May whatever be the outcome of this debate (if there is any!) the bottomline is that companies will continue to have twin A for job A and twin B for job B.

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