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This framework offers an opportunity to distinguish research and theory in technical communication from that in related disciplines, such as composition theory, instructional design, and "generic" rhetoric and composition. Most of the opportunity to distinguish work in this field occurs in opportunities for research into cognitive and affective design.
Both practicing professionals and researchers are interested in the effects of specific design on readability. The interest covers the readability of words and phrases and the effect of visual design elements like white space and typography.
Kostelnick and Roberts (1998) note that research into physical design falls into two categories: universal (applying in general to all communication products) and contextual (applying to a specific communication challenge). The problem with universal research into the effectiveness of visual design elements for online communication, however, is that, by the time researchers can publish their results, the technology is often outdated.
As a result, contextual research might be practical. This also supports the framework, which says that ultimately design must address a specific communication need. Although a design element might prove effective in universal research, it might not prove effective in context.
Although researchers conducted much research into the technical writing process during the 1970s and 1980s, most of that research was conducted on shorter projects (less than 50 pages) prepared by non-writers writing in academic and government settings. Most of the professional work of technical communication is large projects (over 50 pages or screens) performed by technical communicators (some formally trained, others not) in commercial organizations. As a result, the writing process focuses primarily on that, and provides limited direction for designing larger communication products.
The model suggests a process with several design stages. Research into the professional practice of technical communication could confirm the actual design and development process and suggest heuristics for approaching the problem definition, goal setting, and design stages of it.
Research might also address the issue of designing reusable information, explore the limits of the "benevolent" censorship of technical information, and the use of usability scenarios as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of technical communication products (that is, did these products achieve the performance goals established for them). These issues have received some notice within the field, but only limited, systematic inquiry.
An area of theoretical inquiry is the application of performance models from training and software design to technical communication. These models broaden focus from an individual communication product to the larger context in which people use that product, and have transformed both disciplines. At the least, because our work complements work in these areas and, at the most because this model suggests that our work is focused on performance, we need to explore and expand upon performance models.
The community of researchers theorists in technical communication conduct an ongoing conversation about issues of affective design, including issues of cross-cultural communication, communication ethics, and the social and political impact of communication products.
One area that has received little attention by researchers is the area of client service and the role of sponsorship in the design and development of technical communication products. For example, how might the business model under which a project is funded (fee for service, apportionment, or not separately budgeted) affect the resulting project? How might the placement of technical communication within an organizational structure might affect it (such as within the development or marketing organization)? Finally, how do these issues relate to overall perception within the business community of the work performed and value added by technical communicators? Such research could influence current research into the political and social dimensions of technical communication.
These research topics are is not necessarily new. Many of them appeared in the research agenda that the STC established in 1996. Areas of inquiry STC encouraged inquiry into include:
Like a good framework, many of the topics on this list still beg for in-depth or additional inquiry. The framework for information design only raises the urgency of the request.
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(c) Copyright. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Saul Carliner. All rights reserved.
