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By Sherri Henkin, Senior Member, and Sharon Resar Sternburg, Member, Northeast Ohio Chapter
In today’s marketplace, companies increasingly rely on technical communicators to be the “crucial communicator” (a term coined by Tricia Spayer, 2007-2008 president of the Northeast Ohio Chapter STC). This means that technical communicators must take on the critical roles of process analyst and communication linchpin, in addition to writer and editor. Nowhere is this truer than in the highly regulated and frequently changing mortgage banking industry, where the market conditions require processes and procedures to be communicated quickly and responsibly. But processes and procedures do not change simply because of market conditions.
Technical communicators must also be aware of the laws and regulations that control the mortgage banking industry, and must ensure that processes and procedures are maintained and communicated in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. If that isn’t enough, with the added issues of predatory lending, the credit crunch, and increased delinquency rates and foreclosures, the industry must comply with laws and regulations that may be vague and conflicting, requiring documentation that is tailored to specific areas of the country.
This article describes how technical communicators help analyze needed policy changes, create accurate process documentation, and provide critical liaison services between the project management area, the business units, compliance, legal, and systems and IT analysts.
How does the mortgage banking division of a financial institution stay on top of agency guidelines, federal regulations, and state laws simultaneously? When do processes and procedures require implementation or update? Who is the audience? What tools exist to assist the key players in staying current? Technical communicators play a key role in answering these questions. For instance:
Given these variables and the goal of continuously improving automated information and systems, finding solutions to problems becomes a team effort, with technical communicators acting as high-level analysts whose ultimate concern is the whole project and the whole audience.
The mortgage banking project model (see Figure 1) is a powerful tool used to logically unlock the best solutions and manage the pressing issues facing the technical communicator in the mortgage banking business. It also illustrates the impact technical communicators have on the critical systemic flow of the mortgage banking business.
The mortgage banking project model guides a project’s progress from the initiation phase through to the publication of help files, announcements, and communications. The model also aids technical communicators in providing input from their unique perspective. Since technical communicators can see the big picture, they help address all aspects, technical and nontechnical, of new processes. They find the holes, connect the dots, and coordinate the details to flow into a holistic solution. Then they document the solution and communicate the new process. By following the steps in the model, technical communicators make documentation more precise and efficient.
Figure 1. The mortgage banking project model guides technical communicators in the mortgage banking industry.
When changes are needed to keep in compliance with regulations, institutions can follow the mortgage banking project model. Technical communicators’ roles in this model are to connect with the business units, analyze and gather requirements, and lead the development of communications. Often, the business analyst, documentation specialist, or product specialist—all technical communicators—understands the needs of the users and can communicate these needs to the project managers.
During the requirements gathering phase, the technical communicator/business analyst is the liaison between the project managers, the business units, and the internal regulatory departments. The technical communicator studies the existing process and asks probing questions to determine where those processes are deficient and recommends improvements. Listening and writing skills, as well as an ability to understand the overall project while also focusing on the details, are crucial.
To assist in the development phase, technical communicators create communications for external and internal users. Part of this task is to document new processes necessary to comply with regulations. Regulatory reviews may also reveal some processes that haven’t been documented. Technical communicators ensure that all the processes comply with regulations and are documented, reviewed, and published for the user.
The information technical communicators produce must be accurate and dynamic, often in response to quickly changing market conditions or new legislation. The audience for these communications could be internal subject matter experts or external clients. To understand the audience thoroughly, technical communicators meet with the users, listen to their challenges, and analyze their requirements. Then they ensure that the process documentation and other communications reflect the audience’s needs.
During the testing phase, technical communicators make sure that the new processes address the users’ requirements. Once the holistic solution is tested and results are satisfactory, the project is implemented. Implementation may include upgrading or installing software or hardware; it always includes the publication of help files, communications and announcements.
Multiple sources of information on legislation affecting the mortgage banking industry are available through various agencies, service providers, vendors, and others. These sources alert technical communicators when a new law is passed or a regulation is changed. For example, an alert may say that a new state law invalidating certain mortgage products will go into effect on a given date. Technical communicators make sure that the institution meets deadlines for compliance.
By using the mortgage banking project model, and with crucial guidance from technical communicators, mortgage banking can adapt to market conditions with holistic solutions. Technical communicators help determine whether processes and procedures require updates or complete revision. They also ensure that changes to all procedures are coordinated with all affected departments and business units. Because technical communicators can see the big picture while analyzing the details, they are key players in coordinating and communicating during the project life cycle. They are, in other words, crucial communicators.
Sherri Henkin and Sharon Resar are technical communicators in Cleveland, Ohio. Both authors are members of the Northeast Ohio Chapter STC.
Sherri is a senior process improvement analyst at AmTrust Bank. She digs deep into the processes and procedures in mortgage banking in order to deliver improved business methods. She has documented procedures and gathered business requirements in mortgage banking and health care for the past ten years. Email Sherri
Sharon most recently served as a senior business analyst in corporate compliance at AmTrust Bank. She assessed areas of regulatory and business risk and documented guidelines, procedures, and policies. She has provided organization development training and documentation services in both the financial and manufacturing industries for the past twenty years. E-mail Sharon
Sherri and Sharon are also freelance writers and editors for various hardcopy and online publications.
Authors’ Note: We are grateful to our colleagues for sharing their time and their insights with us as we prepared this article.