Independent Study

This independent study is focused on studying the relationship between the professional writing and web 2.0.  There has been some study into how users' roles are changing with advent of online spaces that foster user-generated-content and user cooperation.  Professional writers who work to create web communication portals are now contending with the user who is now more apart of the production process.  Web based communication products are being created within this participatory culture.  The information age is turning into the production age.  Web spaces are not just used to search and gather for information, but also help generate content or generate  web-based products.  There are individuals out there creating spaces online in this participation age.  Essentially, they are doing the work of technical writers, who have long been focused on usability, user-centered design, and efficient communication processes.  

Part of this independent study is working with individuals who design Web 2.0 products for users who have different ideas about how they should be using these sites.  So, this independent study will take the next step in inquiry into Web 2.0 application design and usability.  It moves from the analysis of the user and impacts of usability to an analysis of the user-centered design process.  This study will be conducted via readings (scholarly articles, news stories, case studies) and interviews of individuals who design these products.   The readings will not go beyond my own research of various journals and books.  

The final product of this study will yield an article for Intercom magazine on how technical writers on are working with Web 2.0 tools.  I will also turn this into a proposal for ATTW as well (this will be a joint proposal--I have joined with other students on this project).  Last but not least, I will design a functional online system using Web 2.0 tools.  During this project,  I will act as a technical communicator who has been asked to implement a usable communication system utilizing Web 2.0 tools that foster user collaboration and user-generated content.   

It just so happens that I am doing this work at my current internship (more details about internship later).  But, I designed a social media outreach campaign in an urban minority community.  In this campaign, I proposed using Facebook, Blogger, and YouTube.  My job was to fathom how these communication portals would be used.  In addition, I was also asked to implement social media for all of our clients at my internship (all clients are either non-profits or government entities).  This may provide the perfect opportunity to work on this project.