What did you read or watch that surprised, delighted or disappointed you? Why?
In my previous blog post, I wrote a little bit about AI. More specifically, I talked about some of my fears and hopes when it comes to AI entering the workplace. In this week’s instructional material, I was delighted to find an article about using AI for content strategy. In the article, the author Tom Johnson uses AI to try to automate some planning and prioritization tasks in his job. Ultimately, Johnson found that AI isn’t yet ready to replace humans in this area of content strategy. I found this message to be hopeful, as it’s comforting to know that I’ll still have a job when I graduate with my master’s degree, but I think it’s still worth considering how AI can be a valuable tool. As I stated last time I wrote about AI, there are some areas in which it can give users more access to content, specifically in terms of the general accessibility of web content. Companies are investing in AI. It’s important that content strategists are included in the conversation so AI can be built with both content users and content developers in mind. AI can be a bright spot on the horizon if we build it intentionally, considering people inside as well as outside the business.
What was most meaningful for your own career goals? Why?
In my first blog post, I mentioned that I was delighted to learn that technical writers work with “a variety of people on a variety of subjects.” This thought still occurs to me on a weekly basis, but this week I really felt it while reading through some of the instructional material. This week, we’ve been talking a lot about developing content strategies for companies after performing a content audit. Within this discussion, we’ve learned about 10 strategic directions content developers can consider to increase a company’s content maturity. The content strategist is forced to look at all areas of the company in order to find out the best way to move forward. Some areas of their client’s company they will consider include: the organizational structure, the budget, the user focus, quality assurance, etc.
When I think about it, I can see the content strategist working with company leadership, accountants, users, software developers, and more. I would go even further to say that depending on the company, a content strategist has the ability to work in many different industries.
I’ve always really enjoyed school, but when I got to college, it made me sad to think that I had to just stick to working in one specialty for the rest of my life. I really enjoyed learning about science, history, art, technology, english, etc., and it pained me to leave these areas of interests behind in my everyday life. Coming into UNT’s technical communication program, however, I’m learning that technical writing and content strategy opens the door back up to exploring different industries. Once I get more experience in the field, I’d be open to consider consulting for different companies across different industries. I think that career would greatly satisfy my natural curiosity, and I can’t wait to see where it leads me.