Please help me select a new job title.

January 20, 2006 3:08 PM

Please help me select a new job title. [mi]

I'm in a position at work where I'm in line for a promotion and my employer wants my input on what my new job title should be.

I was originally hired as a Technical Writer. In addition to my responsibilities as Tech Writer, I took over the job of UI Designer several months ago when the previous designer (a contractor) rolled off the project.

My responsibilities are:

- Create and maintain documentation (online help) for a web-enabled, enterprise-level, application.
- Build and maintain wireframes, based on functional design docs and Business Analyst input. (HTML, CSS, some client-side scripting...JavaScript, DHTML, AJAX)
- Create, maintain, and adhere to corporate design/usability standards.

In a very small nutshell, that's it. All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Oh - and if it helps - the software that I support is for the banking/financial services industry.

Thanks!

posted by 27 to work & money (11 comments total)

It depends how formal the company is, but does "Human Computer Interaction Guru" work?
posted by JMOZ at 3:11 PM on January 20, 2006

When I had a gig like this, my title was Product Usability and Documentation Manager. Editing this slightly, how about Documentation and Usability Specialist? You can vary it depending on seniority: Documentation and Usability Lead
Senior Documentation and Usability Specialist
Documentation and Usability Manager, etc.

Another direction: User Experience and Education Specialist.
posted by ottereroticist at 3:18 PM on January 20, 2006

Oh, and if you want something more whimsical:

Geek-to-English Interpreter.
posted by ottereroticist at 3:31 PM on January 20, 2006

Usability Specialist.
posted by devilsbrigade at 3:55 PM on January 20, 2006

Web Architect
posted by Dag Maggot at 4:40 PM on January 20, 2006

I don't know if the same applies for the US, but here in Australia any spiffy job title to do with computers inevitably contains the acronym "IT"
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 5:31 PM on January 20, 2006

"Director of Usability and Technical Documentation"

Basically, make sure it looks damn good on a resume, even if the title is bigger than your job.
posted by benjh at 5:37 PM on January 20, 2006

Senior Usability and Documentation Manager
posted by visual mechanic at 7:14 PM on January 20, 2006

"Senior ____ ____ Manager" is a title I have never seen in my 20 years as a technical communicator. If I saw this on a résumé, it might look a little fishy to me.

By all means pick a title that looks good on a résumé, but make sure it's plausible, meaning one step above your actual level of responsibility.

This is how I've typically seen various levels of responsibility indicated in tech writing titles (feel free to adapt):

Technical Writer or Documentation Specialist (individual contributor)
Lead Technical Writer (project lead)
Senior Technical Writer (senior project lead)
Documentation Manager (has direct reports and/or is responsible for an entire documentation set)
Director of Documentation (manages managers)
posted by ottereroticist at 7:48 PM on January 20, 2006

In many organizations, you'd be considered an Information Architect. They have an institute, even.
Previously.
posted by jjg at 11:30 PM on January 20, 2006

Thanks you all for the great suggestions.
posted by 27 at 10:28 AM on January 21, 2006