Adapting for the Future: Professional Writing
- Scriptorium Team
- 17 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Every profession is facing it: the evolution of technology. For some industries, technology enhances every avenue of their work, allowing them to expand on what their profession offers by bringing innovations to the table and creating new jobs in the process.
For other professions, like professional writing, the emergence of certain technologies is a hot topic. At Scriptorium, we’ve discussed The Magic of AI and using tools for Interpreting vs. Translations, and there is no doubt that we’ve been keeping our eyes on its evolving methods and how it’s being used for this profession. And though naysayers may say that this profession is dying out, we can’t help but think of the past as we move into the future.
A Technological Evolution
In 1985, Microsoft released its first version of spell check and word count.[1] The first version, one could argue, of using AI in the writing profession. With most software, it took many versions of spell check for writers to actually use it, and much like today, writers look to it to catch small pesky errors that may pop up—but they definitely don’t rely on it.
In 1993, the Internet was introduced to the public.[2] As people became more comfortable with the idea of this global network, a new form of communication was introduced. How did professional writers adapt to this large change? Slowly. But, like other professions, professional writing flourished as “information at your fingertips”[3] became a phenomenon.
It was only 14 years later that Apple released the first edition of the iPhone, with Android following quickly afterwards.[4] You no longer needed a desktop or a laptop—you had a mini internet library in your pocket, which changed the communication landscape for all professions. More information is available globally with this continuous evolution of technologies and the internet.[5] We no longer rely on libraries for information since we can access it at all times of day through our phones and apps.
The Need for Clear and Concise Communication
At a time when anyone can produce anything, there is a heavy need for concise and clear communication. People need information that is correct, accessible, and understandable. And let’s face it, there’s not much of that out there.
Professional writing ensures that the audience receives clear and factual information that they can use to form their own opinions. It’s about strategy. It’s about providing this information in the best form to the audience. Internally, this could resemble electronic and hard copy manuals, emailed memos, and training videos. Externally, this could resemble blog posts, emailed newsletters, and social media posts.
Project Management and Documentation in Modern Workplaces
With the amount of information we receive in the workplace, we rely heavily on technology to enhance our daily lives through organization, reminders, and instant messaging. This is particularly true in project and documentation management.
Though not often discussed, project management falls under the category of communications. At its core is communication between a team, an internal audience (the department or the company), and the external audience (the client or the public). With pressures to meet tight deadlines and the project budget, project managers need collaboration tools along with analytical, risk management, and time and budget trackers. They need a way to easily access their team when a deadline suddenly changes, or the wants of the project grow. And luckily for us, we’re in an era where project management software is thriving. Through trial and error, once a project manager finds a platform that works best for their needs, this form of management increases the team’s awareness of every aspect of their project.
With project management in mind, an uptick in documentation management needs has steadily increased in all industries.[6] With this need comes the advancement of documentation management software or what professional writers like to call it, documentation libraries. The world is changing, and so are legalities in business and economic standards, including what forms of documentation are required to meet these changes.
As audits occur, you want to ensure that each year (or two), your documents are current with the standards of that time and are accessible to the right people. To help navigate this new standard, businesses are looking to technology to help create a secure system (or library) that provides different levels of access to their company’s internal affairs. The more this need grows, the more this software has evolved by focusing on collaboration, compatibility, and storage of all forms of communication—even project management reports.
Adapting to Change
Like every industry, communication adapts to what people need, and so do professional writers. We adapt by learning new technologies to remain relevant in our fields. And though professional writing is adapting to include the management of projects and, of course, the documents that go with it, the seven core values of this profession remain. Like many other professions that face the same ebbs and flows of changing times, we will stay the course and learn more ways to adapt our profession to suit the era.
Looking for ways to enhance your company’s project management and documentation management systems? Contact Scriptorium to see how our team of experts can guide you into the future.
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References:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024, Dec. 14). Microsoft Word. Britannica. Accessed on January 8, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/technology/Microsoft-Word
Ring, J. (2023, April 30). 30 years ago, one decision altered the course of our connected world. [audio radio episode]. In All Things Considered. Washington NPR Station. https://www.npr.org/2023/04/30/1172276538/world-wide-web-internet-anniversary
Gates, B. “Information at your fingertips.” Quote Fancy. Accessed on January 8, 2025. https://quotefancy.com/quote/774866/Bill-Gates-The-term-information-at-your-fingertips-is-to-remind-people-what-a-broad-role
Lanxon, A. (2024, April 24). Android vs. iPhone: 15 Years of Innovation Through Rivalry. Tech, Mobile, CNET: Your Guide to a Better Future. Accessed on January 27, 2025. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/smartphone-showdown-15-years-of-android-vs-iphone/
Teller, A. (2001, June). Writing isn’t the Future of Writing. Creative Nonfiction. Accessed on January 8, 2025. https://creativenonfiction.org/writing/writing-isnt-the-future-of-writing/
What is documentation management? (2021, June). Think, IBM. Accessed on January 27, 2025: https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/document-management