Technical Writer Manager   

This course will help prepare you for a technical writing manager position. You will also gain a broad skill set of both technical communication skills and MBA-level business management strategies.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 12 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Microsoft Office or equivalent (not included in enrollment).
• Microsoft Word Online
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment into each course:

Technical Writing Course

• Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach, by Paul V. Anderson
• Technical Writing for Success, by Darlene Smith-Worthington and Sue Jefferson

Management Training

• Managing by the Numbers: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and using your Company's Financials
• Strategic Planning: A Pragmatic Guide

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

Effective communication is essential in today's business climate, with technical writers serving as professional communicators whose roles vary across industry and context. With proper skills and experience, you can find rewarding and engaging work in many different fields in this career.

In this comprehensive course, the technical writing section will explore the framework of technical writing, the conventions it follows, and the essential elements all technical writing needs. The management section will teach you the basics of business and management, including key financial and accounting terms, successful negotiation strategies, the marketing process, employment law, compliance and regulatory requirements, licensing, permits, and taxes. You will also learn about the seven management disciplines that are essential to success.

1. Technical Writing Course
   1. Introduction to Technical Communication
   2. Your Role as a Technical Writer
   3. Common Types of Technical Writing
   4. The Seven Principles of Good Writing
   5. Writing as a Process
   6. Research
   7. Organization
   8. Rough Draft
   9. Revising and Editing
   10. Writing for the Web and Social Media
   11. Professionalization in Diverse Workplaces & Memberships
   12. How to Find a Job in Technical Writing (Optional Lesson)
   13. Final Exam
2. Management Training
1. Financial and Accounting Management
2. Marketing Management
3. Strategic Management in Operations
4. Legal Issues in Operations
5. Legal Aspects of Contracts
6. Tax Issues
7. Organizational Development and Change
8. Negotiating Strategies
9. Business Best Practices
10. Organization Leadership and Decision Making
11. Project Management for Executives
12. Seven Management Disciplines

What you will learn

• Managing the creation of technical documents including analyses, reports, proposals, and more
• Methods for managing skill sets and allocating resources to meet project needs
• Ethical issues in technical writing and business communications
• Running operations in accord with legal requirements
• The process of negotiating, evaluating negotiation styles, and negotiation strategies
• The seven management disciplines essential to business success
• Advanced grammar rules and effective research methods
• Effective writing for websites and social media

How you will benefit

• Develop management skills that will allow you to lead a technical communications team
• Expand your abilities as a leader and learn how to masterfully manage people and projects
• Gain an understanding of legal and financial regulations to better manage your team
• Set yourself apart from competitors by receiving management training
• Create a professional writing portfolio to showcase your work to current and potential employers
• Be prepared for technical writing jobs in a variety of industries

Janet Underwood

Janet Underwood is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience as a senior technical writer. Janet started her career as an English teacher. She then went on to work as an editor and writer for several internationally known trade publications before marrying her love of technology with her passion for writing to become a technical writer. Janet has developed technical documentation for major corporations in the computer, information technology, telecommunications, financial, medical industries, U.S. government agencies, and public utilities organizations. She has also written several books used as textbooks for college technical writing courses and has been an adjunct professor.

Lynn Atkinson

Lynn Atkinson earned a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1993 and an M.A. in English in 1996. A published writer and editor, including contributions to college textbooks, she considers her greatest accomplishment educating thousands of students at UTA, Tarrant County College, Southeast Career Institute, and Everest College. She has also been nominated for and awarded "Outstanding Teacher" at several of these institutions.

Katrina McBride

Katrina McBride has extensive experience in organizational leadership, marketing strategies, and market development in multinational corporate environments. Her leadership abilities have been utilized to develop new programs and functional areas. In director-level positions for Nortel Networks, she led strategy for competitive intelligence, emerging markets, and lead generation. McBride holds an M.A. in organizational management and a B.S. in psychology.

Katherine Squires Pang

Katherine Squires Pang, J.D., LL.M., M.Ed has practiced law with since 1983. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Management at the University of Texas, Dallas, and has been an adjunct faculty member of many universities, including New York University and the University of California, Irvine. She received her B.A. in 1980 from Clark University, her J.D. from the University of Dayton Law School in 1982, her LL.M in Taxation from Georgetown University Law School in 1983, and her M.Ed from the University of Texas in 2001.

Jerry L. Partridge

Jerry L. Partridge is a Certified Project Management Professional with experience as a project and program manager for a major retail organization. He is a certified instructor for IBM project management courses and hosts university seminars for project managers seeking certification. He has worked extensively with the Project Management Institute, previously leading a team that developed a practice standard for Earned Value Management Systems and volunteering as a subject matter expert for an update to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Partridge holds a Master of Business Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University.