2005 Survey of Australian Technical Communicators:
Responses to Work questions

Total Responses:    103
Survey End Date:    15 October 2005
(M):    Mandatory question


How many years have you worked as a technical communicator? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Less than 2 years 7 7.00%
2 to 5 years 20 20.00%
6 to 10 years 22 22.00%
11 to 15 years 29 29.00%
16 to 20 years 12 12.00%
more than 20 years 10 10.00%
Total 100 100.00%

What is your main job title? (select the one that most closely matches what you do) (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Content developer/manager 3 3.00%
Documentation manager/specialist 12 12.00%
Information developer/architect 4 4.00%
Instructional designer 1 1.00%
Online help developer 1 1.00%
Technical editor 3 3.00%
Technical writer 60 60.00%
Usability specialist 1 1.00%
Web designer 1 1.00%
Other... 14 14.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
Publishing manager 1
Product Information Specialist 1
Lecturer 1
IT Training & Support Analyst 1
Information Designer 1
I also freelance as an editor. 1
Electrical/elctronic service manager - computers, scientific instruments - various fields 1
documentation consultant 1
Documentation and Training Team Lead 1
Business Analyst 1

Where do you do most of your technical communication work? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
On site (employer or client workplace) 78 78.00%
From home or own office 10 10.00%
Varies - both on site and from home/office 12 12.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
Have previously written reports at work- am currently student full time 1

How would you classify your level as a technical communicator? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Entry level (junior) tech communicator 3 3.00%
Mid-level (non-supervisory) 30 30.00%
Mid-level (supervisory) 8 8.00%
Senior level (non-supervisory) 35 35.00%
Senior level (supervisory) 22 22.00%
Other... 2 2.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
As a contractor the role varies; often its more as a consultant (work out the solution to the problem) and implementor (implement it). This can be supervisory or not, but I would say it was a senior role. 1

What work activities do you spend more than 10% of your time on? (select all that apply) (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Technical writing 83 83.00%
Technical/copy editing 47 47.00%
Indexing 4 4.00%
Training 12 12.00%
Documentation consulting 33 33.00%
Website/intranet management/development 26 26.00%
Management (project/team/people/change...) 32 32.00%
Quality assurance/testing 15 15.00%
Usability/accessibilty consulting/testing 19 19.00%
Sales/technical support 0 0.00%
Knowledge management 18 18.00%
Business analysis 17 17.00%
Graphic design 13 13.00%
Document/content management 55 55.00%
Document planning 44 44.00%
Other... 8 8.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
XMetal typesetting 1
Student 1
Marketing Communications 1
IT Support 1
Education 1
editing 1
content modelling, content/publication auditing, tools analysis 1
Consultant in Program Management for communtiy groups 1
Business sales/Marketing - run own company 1

What materials do you produce? (select all that apply) (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Paper-based documentation (incl. books, magazines, journal articles) 74 74.00%
Online documentation 56 56.00%
PDFs 82 82.00%
HTML Help systems (*.CHM) 43 43.00%
HTML-based Help systems (e.g. WebHelp) 45 45.00%
WinHelp (*.HLP) 16 16.00%
Web pages/sites (incl. intranet content) 50 50.00%
Multimedia (incl. Flash, video/screen animations) 13 13.00%
API documentation 10 10.00%
Marketing materials 26 26.00%
Policies and procedures 41 41.00%
Proposals and tenders 11 11.00%
Surveys 4 4.00%
Specifications 28 28.00%
Templates and forms 46 46.00%
Training and educational materials (incl. e-learning) 45 45.00%
User documentation 87 87.00%
White papers and case studies 7 7.00%
Analysis/research papers 12 12.00%
Presentations 25 25.00%
Other... 3 3.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
PR 1
Mostly university related 1
Have only just started 1
business plans, project briefs, quality management plans 1

Does your employer/client employ other technical communicators? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Yes 62 62.00%
No, I am the only one ("lone writer") 28 28.00%
I don't know 10 10.00%
Total 100 100.00%

If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, how many do they employ in addition to you? Skip this question if you are a "lone writer".

Answer Number % of Total % of Answered
1 12 12.00% 18.46%
2 to 5 18 18.00% 27.69%
6 to 10 10 10.00% 15.38%
10 to 20 7 7.00% 10.77%
more than 20 5 5.00% 7.69%
Varies 2 2.00% 3.08%
I'm not sure 11 11.00% 16.92%
Answered 65 65.00%
Unanswered 35 35.00%
Total 100 100.00%

How many people (in total) does your employer/main client employ? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Fewer than 50 21 21.00%
51 to 100 14 14.00%
101 to 500 23 23.00%
501 to 1000 13 13.00%
1001 or more 29 29.00%
Total 100 100.00%

In the past year, how many paid/billable hours did you work in a typical week? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
10 or less 4 4.00%
11 to 20 hours 4 4.00%
21 to 30 hours 8 8.00%
31 to 40 hours 60 60.00%
41 to 50 hours 23 23.00%
more than 50 hours 1 1.00%
Total 100 100.00%

In the past year, how many unpaid/non-billable hours did you work in a typical week? (M) (Only include hours worked in a technical communication capacity of some sort, such as volunteer tech comm or professional association work.)

Answer Number % of Total
None 39 39.00%
1 to 10 46 46.00%
11 to 20 hours 11 11.00%
21 to 30 hours 1 1.00%
31 to 40 hours 2 2.00%
41 to 50 hours 0 0.00%
more than 50 hours 1 1.00%
Total 100 100.00%

How flexible are your work hours? (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Not flexible at all 3 3.00%
Some flexibility but I'd like more 29 29.00%
About right for me 38 38.00%
More than enough 11 11.00%
Whatever I need 19 19.00%
Total 100 100.00%

What changes to your working conditions have occurred in the past year? (select all that apply) (M)

Answer Number % of Total
Made redundant/sacked 6 6.00%
Job offers/contract opportunities have increased 34 34.00%
Contract terminated/not renewed 11 11.00%
Salary/hourly rate has increased 45 45.00%
Increased workload due to staff cuts 17 17.00%
Extra staff have been added 17 17.00%
Projects cancelled or put on hold 31 31.00%
New projects have started 49 49.00%
Training and/or travel budget cuts 8 8.00%
Training and/or travel budget has increased 4 4.00%
Management responsibilities increased 22 22.00%
Management responsibilities decreased 2 2.00%
No (or less than normal) salary/hourly rate increase 20 20.00%
No changes 7 7.00%
Other... 12 12.00%
Total 100 100.00%

(if "Other...", please specify)

Answer Number
No great changes for me. Contract rates haven't moved in years. But this year has been relatively easy to get contracts. 1
Moved to North coast and started remote work 1
Moved to Australia 1
Moved from contract to permanent/good job offer 1
Increased workload due to new projects - no extra staff employed 1
I changed jobs/country 1
Found new job 1
Employment changed from contract to permanent staff 1
Contract period ended 1
Commenced with a new employer 1

Which ANZSIC classification best describes the industry in which you work? (M)

[These are the ANZSIC categories from the ABS (we don't have any control over these categories; see http://www.arc.gov.au/apply_grants/anzsic_codes.htm for a complete list). Guide: Select "Property and Business Services" for "Scientific research", "Technical services", "Computer services", or "Marketing and business management services"; select "Manufacturing" for "Publishing"]

Answer Number % of Total
Accommodation, cafes, restaurants 0 0.00%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 0 0.00%
Communication services 12 12.37%
Construction 1 1.03%
Cultural and recreational services 0 0.00%
Education 6 6.19%
Electricity, gas and water supply 0 0.00%
Finance and insurance 12 12.37%
Government administration and defence 17 17.53%
Health and community services 3 3.09%
Manufacturing 9 9.28%
Mining 6 6.19%
Personal and other services 0 0.00%
Property and business services 30 30.93%
Retail trade 0 0.00%
Transport and storage 1 1.03%
Wholesale trade 0 0.00%
Total 97 100.00%

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