Corporate memory and technical communicators: a relationship with a new urgency

Corporate memory-the printed and electronic record of an organization's work-is threatened by the devaluing of the archives and records management function that has accompanied the advent of the digital age. Recent downsizing has brought with it the loss of essential organizational knowledge as employees at ail levels leave. The archiving and records management task has settled on information managers who too often save information based on quantity instead of its content value. Because technical communicators work in virtually all organizational units, they are in an ideal position to bring a depth of judgment about the value of information, whether it is worth saving, or not. This role-which represents only a small extension of most technical communicators present duties-can enhance both personal and organizational status. Suggestions for implementing this role are offered.