Core competency skills for technical communicators

Without licensing or certification to measure program effectiveness, identifying aspects of the educational process that need bolstering to meet the expanded competency needs of new graduates can be difficult. An effective workforce requires persistent reassessment of essential work competencies and incorporation of applicable content into program curricula. Yet effective quantitative measurements for program assessment are often limited and inconsistently applied. The body of empirical data about which competencies are important and how useful these competencies are in various work settings is increasing. In addition to limited multi-disciplinary knowledge, research suggests technical communication graduates are not adequately grounded in basic business operations, business planning, project management, and problem-solving skills. Yet research has apparently not assessed the cardinal utility of core competencies identified. Without considering strength preferences within a defined set of core competencies, developing an optimum strategy to address current assets and deficiencies within program curriculum is difficult at best. This paper discusses attempts to identify and establish a set of core competency skills for practitioners. It proposes use of game theory applications to assess program effectiveness and to make better strategic decisions about enhancing existing curricula and pedagogical emphases. To illustrate potential benefits of this approach, an example business case is presented. Based on analysis of salient belief evaluations and value strengths, a telecommunication system manufacturer successfully redirected corrective efforts, resulting in significant improvements in customer perceptions regarding product documentation quality.