Editorial

Menno D.T. de Jong, Editor The Role of Theory in Technical Communication “There is nothing so practical as a Notions of the Concept of Theory good theory.” This is a famous quote There are many notions of the by the founder of social psychology, concept of theory. The most Kurt Lewin. A quote that has been simplistic one is that a contribution misused by scholars in a wide variety is theoretical when it lacks practical of disciplines who do not care about relevance. I have often encountered to understand and make sense of the practical relevance of their this in practice, for instance in their situation. This is, in my view, work. But also a viewpoint that selection processes for research the kind of theory that Kurt Lewin may be overlooked by scholars who funding. Scholars who do not must have been referring to. are primarily focused on making have any practical aims almost Another, more superficial practically relevant contributions. automatically score high on the characteristic of a theory is that it Technical Communication has theoretical contribution of their is more or less formalized. It has always emphasized the importance research plans, whereas scholars who a name with words like “theory,” of the practical relevance of articles. propose practically relevant research “model,” or “hypothesis.” It is After all, the journal´s audience are easily suspected of not making a referred to by other scholars, and consists of practitioners and real theoretical contribution. In the investigated in several studies. academics. But there is a more field of technical communication, It is, in other words, a social fundamental reason as well. The all publications that do not construction, and may be connected journal presupposes that technical eventually contribute to the to standard research instruments communication is an instrumental adaptation of technology to human with known psychometric discipline: a discipline that needs, to the usability of technical properties. eventually seeks to contribute to devices or instructions, to the the effectiveness of communicating process of creating user support, Technical Communication about technology, a discipline or to the profession of technical Theories that aims to support technical communication practitioners would When reading the main technical communication practitioners in be characterized as theoretical in this communication journals, I cannot their jobs. It is a discipline that, so definition. The term “theoretical” help but make a number of to speak, resembles medicine more then serves as a euphemism for observations that call for reflection. than biology. practically irrelevant. First, there are many contributions In the past decades, technical A more fruitful definition of in our field that do not seem communication has made the theory refers to knowledge that to aim at the core of technical successful transition from an is, to some extent, generalizable, communication (effectively informal and intuition- or expertise- verifiable, falsifiable, and predictive. communicating about technology) based discipline to a more formal A theory exceeds specific research and do not seem to have any and research-based discipline. contexts, and can be tested— practical relevance. I can understand Empirical research methodology in some cases with formal people investigating communication and formalized analytical experiments, in other cases with in general as a cultural approaches have become more less straightforward empirical phenomenon, but the usefulness important, both in academic and in data. In the context of technical of technical communication as a applied research. But where does the communication, a theory would non-instrumental discipline is in my theory of technical communication offer practitioners guidance in their view debatable. stand now that the journal daily work, not by prescribing them Second, despite the growth of celebrates its 60th anniversary? what to do, but by helping them an empirical tradition, there are

Volume 60, Number 2, May 2013 l Technical Communication 91 Editorial

very few real theories available in efficiently creating user support, our knowledge on these issues, our field. Theories that help us the collaboration between technical but they often do not exceed the understand users of technology, communicators and engineers, level of single studies, and they their selection of information and the use of applied research do not seem to aim at formalizing sources, their informational needs, techniques. Or theories that help us theory, and preparing it for further the way they use (or do not use) understand the nature of expertise investigation. instructions, the causes of usability in technical communication, the Third, empirical contributions problems, the effects of visual and role of communication skills, the are often either entirely descriptive verbal information, the effects of way communication skills can best (trying to map a current situation), different types of user support, be taught, and the role of empathy or predominantly prescriptive and the problem of intercultural and perspective-taking. Of course, (formulating guidelines or communication. Or theories that these are only examples. There are heuristics). In my view a step help us understand the process of several studies that contribute to toward useful theory-building

Frank R. Smith Outstanding Article Award 2012 Each year, an independent jury of three researchers and practitioners selects one outstanding article and up to three distinguished articles that appeared in Technical Communication during the previous calendar year. This year’s jury members were Jan Ulijn (chair), Editorial Advisory Board member Michelle Corbin, and winner of last year’s Distinguished Article Award, Luc Desnoyers. The award honors the memory of Frank R. Smith, during whose 18 years as editor this journal became established as the flagship publication of STC and of the profession. This year, the jury selected one outstanding and two distinguished articles.

2012 Outstanding article in Technical Communication Hanna Jochmann-Mannak, Leo Lentz, Theo Huibers, and Ted Sanders. Three types of children’s informational Web sites: An inventory of design conventions. (November 2012) “For its focus on the core tenets of technical communication (audience analysis, use cases and scenarios, and information design); for analyzing a large corpus of children’s Web sites to identify and better understand what design conventions exist today; and for putting this research in the context of one of the most interesting literature reviews that described the cognitive development of children and its impact on general Web site design principles on scanning, searching, and browsing. This article inspires, informs, and directs practitioners and academics alike.”

2012 Distinguished articles in Technical Communication Saul Carliner. Using business models to describe technical communication groups. (May 2012) “For providing an excellent introduction to the management theory of business models, detailing a taxonomy of business models for technical communication groups, and reviewing the implications for practicing technical communicators. Technical communicators can apply this theory to better identify and choose a technical communication position in a variety of companies.” Jason Swarts. New modes of help: Best practices for instructional video. (August 2012) “For identifying a set of best practices that practitioners can readily apply when creating instructional videos, for identifying the communication design features of good videos, and for completing a rhetorical analysis of instructional videos.”

92 Technical Communication l Volume 60, Number 2, May 2013 Editorial

Menno D.T. de Jong, Editor requires a focus on understanding although innovative and fresh, is explains the procedure for technical and explaining, instead of not beneficial for the chances of communicators who want to use it. describing or prescribing. For building substantial theories. The second article was written instance, we know much about the I would like to argue that by Heidi Everett. She focused on kinds of courses currently offered in practical relevance is a sine qua the credibility of small business technical communication programs, non for theories in technical Web sites. She developed a six- and we also know what kinds of communication, and that it may be step process of conducting a competencies employers ask of useful to view research contributions cost-effective credibility test, and technical communicators, but do we more from a theoretical perspective. illustrates the process using a know what makes a good technical particular small-business Web site. communicator and how they In This Issue The third article, by Ehren acquire the relevant competencies? This issue includes three articles. Pflugfelder, focuses on the use of Fourth, the topics addressed The first article was written minimalist design principles in the in the technical communication by Derek Ross. He developed design of so-called Web-app videos. literature are very diverse, and and tested a method of “deep He does this in an educational there seems to be a tradition audience analysis” in the context. The effects were tested of continuously exploring new context of environment-related using a student instruction of topics instead of deepening communication. He describes minimalist documentation concepts existing insights. This tendency, the rationale of his approach and and heuristics.

IN MEMORIAM: A. Stanley Higgins We are saddened to lose one of the great former editors of Technical Communication. On 3 March, A. Stanley Higgins passed away. He served as the journal’s editor for an impressive 15 years, from 1961 to 1976. In an interview with Ed Malone, he stated that he was most proud of the fact that he “kept the journal going.” He probably put into words the feelings of all his successors. We will keep on keeping the journal going, with great respect and thankfulness for his contribution to the field.

Volume 60, Number 2, May 2013 l Technical Communication 93