Professional communicators and technical product design

Professional communicators can play a key part in improving communication in the technical product design process. The author examines a communication model in which human information use and communication are viewed in the context of an ongoing problem-solving process. If professional communicators are accepted into the design team, they can help improve product designs in two ways. First, they can facilitate information gathering and synergistic problem solving by ensuring that everyone involved is aware of and understands all relevant issues, and by creating tools and materials that will assist that understanding. Second, professional communicators can contribute directly to solutions of design problems. They occupy a unique generalist´s point of view and can draw upon their analysis of the subject matter and player´s information needs