Introduction

Welcome to my Digication portfolio presented as the culminating project of my Master of Arts in Technical Communication at Boise State University. The collection of documents on this website represents the variety of professional and academic work I have completed during the MATC program.

Each document is introduced by a reflection explaining the rhetorical situation of the piece and identifying its strengths and weaknesses. A resume of my professional and educational experience is also provided below.

Completed over the course of my time in the program, the documents include class assignments, internship projects, and professional pieces. Examination of my portfolio will demonstrate my growth during the MATC program, my knowledge of a variety of content creation and design programs and of writing technique, and my versatility as a technical communicator.

Growth

I began the MATC program in the fall of 2008. Due to my full time employment and family responsibilities, I worked slowly through this degree. This lengthy process gave me the opportunity to acquire professional experience related to technical communication while also exploring the discipline academically.

In reviewing my work over the course of the program, I was able to easily see how I have grown as a technical communicator. Although I began with a strong background in English and writing, I was completely unfamiliar with technical communication and its applications at the start of my time in the program. My early documents are successful but show my exploration of the field.

One early document, the SmartArt Instruction Set, is my first attempt at process writing. I learned a lot about level of detail needed to construct effective instructions. A recent document, the Technical Writing Graphic Syllabus, demonstrates a more mature communicator who is using many elements of technical communication—novel programs, concise language, charts and graphics, etc.—to educate others in the discipline.

Professional Knowledge

Through the MATC program and through my professional experience during the same period, I have gained an extensive amount of professional knowledge. This knowledge includes an understanding of many of the tools used by technical communicators as well as increased skill as a writer, editor, and content manager.

The PyroCMS Help Documentation Files piece shows my aptitude for picking up new programs. In this case I learned to use and communicate about a content management system called PyroCMS and a web syntax called Markdown. The Northwest Nazarene University Style Guide fused my skills as a writer, as an editor, and as a content project manager. It also gave me opportunity to work collaboratively through the writing process in a genuine work situation.

Versatility

One of the most important aspects of this portfolio is the variety of documents and skills it demonstrates. I have become a versatile communicator over the course of the MATC program. I moved from a traditional writing background in English and education to a comfort level with a wide spectrum of professional and technical writing situations.

Even while discovering new genres, I have worked hard to continue to develop my teaching skills and knowledge of literature and traditional writing forms. I feel these have only been complemented and extended by my growing ease with technical writing applications including web-based composition, marketing communication, and technical rhetoric.

One area I have really developed is in my visual design skills. My Health Communication Poster redesign and my Perspectives Advertising Flyer redesign both demonstrate versatility in incorporating principles of good design with careful evaluation of written content. They also show versatility with the features and constraints of different tools: I created the poster in Microsoft Word and the flyer in Adobe InDesign.

Conclusion

This portfolio not only provides examples of some of my best work during the MATC program but also demonstrates the variety of knowledge and skills I have acquired. I have developed as a writer and professional in the discipline of technical communication and look forward to continuing to develop as a marketing communication specialist and an educator.