Unlocking the Power of Technical Communication with Ben Woelk

Technical communication is focused on clearly and effectively communicating technical and complex information, and it’s a skill that’s applicable across many industries, disciplines, and job roles. This month we sat down with Ben Woelk, CISSP, CPTC trainer, and program developer to discuss what makes technical communication such an in-demand skill and what makes RIT Certified’s program unique for anyone looking to gain these skills.

About Ben Woelk

Ben is a technical communicator with more than 30 years of experience in industry and academia. He is Governance, Awareness, and Training Manager at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a former president of the Society for Technical Communication and speaks at a number of technical communication and cybersecurity conferences annually. Ben has authored articles for various publications and served as a guest editor for Intercom on issues devoted to cybersecurity, risk management, temperament, and technical communication. The Society for Technical Communication recognized Ben as a Fellow for his service to the STC, contributions to technical communication as a professional and academic, and serving as a mentor to students and technical communicators.

Ben is a seasoned instructor, teaching academic courses across several disciplines, including technical communication, and has developed and delivered professional development courses for several organizations. Ben has prepared more than 80 students to take the CPTC Foundations Exam. His students have included university students, career changers, and seasoned technical communicators.

What has been your experience working with technical communication?

I’ve worked for 30+ years in technical communication. I've done work as a technical communication consultant for Xerox, Kodak, and other companies locally, where. I worked on a number of different types of projects, starting with ISO9000 process documentation. I’ve also done a lot of IT documentation and change management communication before I moved into cybersecurity as a field of practice, which I’ve been doing for about 20 years now.

I’ve served as a leader for the Society for Technical Communication (STC) beginning around 15 years ago, and I eventually became president of the organization. STC recognized me as a Fellow in 2023 for contributions to the technical communication profession. This was an honor to receive.

Why do you think technical communication is such an important skill?

Technical communicators approach problems with a different mindset, and at the heart of it, technical communicators are problem solvers and solution builders. There is a writing/communications element to technical communication, but a lot of the work is with product teams, customers, or other individuals to figure out what each group needs and how to provide a solution that fits their needs. Technical communicators take complex, technical information and contextualize it for our audience so that they can take action on that information as needed.

What makes RIT Certified’s technical communication courses different from others in the market right now?

What makes RIT Certified’s program different is that it’s designed by current practitioners in the field. It’s not designed from the typical academic aspect. Our focus is to help people gain the skills they need to either move into the field of technical communication for the first time or upskill. The course developers for this program are all highly-regarded current practitioners, and each have at least 20 years of experience in the different aspects of technical communication covered in the courses, whether that’s usability, program management, instructional design, writing for the web, etc. The fact that all of the course developers have that level of experience and expertise is a real strength for this program, especially since they’re all aware of the current opportunities and needs for technical communication.

The course developers are also able to incorporate new trends and information, like generative AI and how that is impacting technical communication. And when there are changes in the field, the courses can incorporate those changes and keep the content relevant to what’s currently happening in technical communication.

What is one of the main benefits students gain from any of the technical communication courses you teach?

Students in our program are equipped to apply technical communication in the workplace, with a strong understanding of audience and what that means for developing materials that enable the audience to succeed.. Whoever they’re trying to communicate with, it’s about taking complex and technical concepts and communicating them in a way that a “normal” person can understand. Technical communicators provide that between the original source of information and the audience. They determine the appropriate perspective and terminology to convey information in a way that’s appropriate for the audience. We work to eliminate jargon and communicate in plain language..

For example, if you’re talking to someone who has a cybersecurity-related account issue who doesn’t have a background in cybersecurity. If you use industry jargon, you might  say that there’s an issue with authentication or authorization, their credentials have been compromised, and the attacker has elevated their privileges, it’s going to be meaningless to them. But if you say someone figured out how to use your account and pretended to be you so they could get information they shouldn’t have access to, it would make a lot more sense to them.

What is the most important skill or piece of knowledge that students walk away from the course with?

Building off my answer to the last question, they’re walking away with the ability to understand their audience and the skills they need to understand how that audience will use that information so they can communicate it effectively. They learn how to explain things in a way that makes it easier for the audience to understand the information and use it to accomplish whatever their task is.

Why are you passionate about teaching technical communication?

I’m passionate about technical communication because it’s so helpful in knowing how to approach a problem and communicate in an impactful way to make a difference. Technical communicators learn how to solve problems, build solutions, communicate information, and more. I see so many opportunities for people of different backgrounds to build a career in technical communication. With technical communication skills, you can take someone of varying academic backgrounds and experience and help them understand where they fit as a technical communicator, and help them find gainful employment.

Helping people find their path and prepare for their future in technical communication is very rewarding to me. I’m invested in making sure that we’re delivering the skills students need to succeed in their careers.

Taking the Next Step in Your Career

Technical communication skills can help you take your career to the next level, and RIT Certified’s program is designed to give you the knowledge, skills, and practical experience you need to add this in-demand skill to your resume. If you’re interested in learning more about our courses, you can find more information here.