(1/1/98)
(Originally published in a German Technical Communications Newsletter)
New Zealand is geographically isolated and technologically sophisticated, with cultural values lying somewhere between the United Kingdom and the United States. At about 3.6 million, the population is very small, yet the territory is approximately the size of Great Britain or the main islands of Japan. The country consists of two islands, with the North Island containing the majority of the population, mainly centred around the principal city of Auckland. The technological hub is Auckland. The capital city of Wellington, also on the North Island, provides government-related technical writing opportunities. The third largest city, Christchurch, is in the South Island and has a growing technical concentration. All of these factors significantly impact the technical writing environment.
BJ Dooley Technical Information Services is a small company located near Christchurch. Partly due to location, we have focused principally upon projects that can be completed over the Internet. A major focus is upon research and analysis of technology and technology markets for report companies such as Faulkner Technical Reports, Datapro Research, and Northern Business Information in the United States; as well as for report producers in Australia and Japan. We also develop articles for the New Zealand computer press; write manuals for local, national, and international companies; and write books for the mass market. Projects are somewhat limited by the fact that face-to-face meetings are seldom possible, as is on-site work. This has resulted in a broader mix of work than would ordinarily be undertaken, but it can be supported by Dooley’s extensive experience as a senior technical writer, senior editor, and senior analyst with American and Japanese computer hardware and information firms.
Technical writing in New Zealand is focused upon the three centres, with slightly different conditions in each. Experiences are different enough that three technical writing organisations have emerged—the NZ STC chapter, located in Christchurch; the ASTC, located in Wellington; and a new breakaway group located in Auckland. As a large city with a large and diverse technical base, Auckland is the most conventional site. Here, there are contracting opportunities (though direct hiring exceeds contracting in New Zealand), and there are plenty of technology jobs. Wellington has a smaller percentage of contract jobs, and more jobs related to government—which might include technology. These include opportunities in writing manuals, newsletters and procedures for aviation, technical policy, and other issues. Christchurch has a growing technology base, but it is largely composed of small companies that hire rather than contract. There is a handful of larger companies that hire contractors, but they can support only a few writers. Professional companies in this region tend to diversify in order to maintain revenues.
In developing written materials for the New Zealand market, it is important to bear in mind that Kiwis (the New Zealand term for New Zealanders) are somewhere between the British and the Americans. They prefer a more subdued approach to an American-style marketing come-on. Spelling, grammar, and language usage tend to be British. On the other hand, Kiwis tend to be quick on the uptake, curious, and technically sophisticated. Capability to do more for less is greatly prized and "Kiwi Ingenuity" is legendary.
There are some things to avoid in developing documentation for the New Zealand environment. The main issues can be summarized as follows:
- Kiwis are not Australians
- Kiwis are not Americans
- Kiwis are language conscious, and bad English is a real turn-off
These points may appear obvious, but they are often overlooked. There is genuine irritation when documentation focuses upon Australian conditions—which happens when developers assume New Zealand is just "part of the Australian region." There is more irritation when documentation focuses upon American conditions, because these are often irrelevant. Specific differences include average computer system and network size, taxation systems, service availability, and product distribution factors. Good documentation will take pains to list local support, talk about items (other products and facilities) that are actually available in New Zealand, and explain how the product handles specific New Zealand issues, such as the GST (goods and services) tax.
In addition to the New Zealand market, our business lies in the general international arena. This, too, has a variety of constraints. For user manuals, products generally must be available for trial—though this is not necessarily the case for rewrites of loosely translated materials (as for Japan’s Fujitsu Corp.) or for products which have local users. For analysis, most research is done over the Web, which is proving an increasingly valuable resource. We also have access to various premium information sources as a member of the Advisory Committee for Faulkner Technical Reports. The Internet has made it possible to operate a busy and growing business in an area which is sparser in opportunities than major technology centres.
Another characteristic specific to the Christchurch region is a proliferation of small businesses and professionals who are easily brought together to form teams. One mulitmedia project we completed included our writing agency, several graphics designers, illustrators, television cameramen, theatre actors, sound technicians, video compression specialists, programmers, and others—all assembled as necessary to meet the demands of the project. Other projects have included very different talent mixes. We maintain extensive contacts in local business to cover all possibilities. We have not yet assembled international teams, but this would be a logical progression.
International opportunities in English language material requires skills in both American and British styles, and fluency in manual and information delivery requirements for a variety of different countries. Flexibility has been critical. Requirements can vary radically, and this means that particular attention needs to be paid to proposals. Incremental delivery, and ensuring that there is agreement as each part of the work proceeds help to ensure that both writers and clients remain in synch.
It is significant to note that technical writing business can, indeed, be done almost entirely over the Internet. This means that location is of diminished importance. That which is possible in North Canterbury (my province) is equally possible in Fiji—for that matter, in Bombay, Singapore, or Dusseldorf. We connect to three ISPs, maintain state-of-the-art technology, and are aided by the fact that one of our research specialties is Internet infrastructure!
Copyright © 1998, Brian J. Dooley