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Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators

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Horace Hockley Award

Presented annually at the Technical Communication UK Conference: Who is Horace Hockley?

The Horace Hockley Award was first presented in 1993. The ISTC has always recognised the contribution that Horace Hockley made to the ISTC, as founder of the first professional institute for Technical Publications industry as a whole. When the ISTC conference became established, it was agreed by Council that here was an opportunity to make an award in his name using ideals that Horace Hockley would have endorsed.

The award is presented to someone who, in the opinion of the ISTC Council, has made a considerable contribution to the Technical Communications industry over a long period of time. The award is in recognition for promoting the industry across other industries and boundaries, and for promoting quality in the industry, whether it be in training or within the workplace.The award is presented annually and an election is held by the ISTC Council before presentation, to agree the award from nominations which can be made by anyone in the Institute over the year.

The Technical Publications industry is growing in stature throughout the world and our contacts are growing across continents as international trade grows and technical complexity increases. While rarely considered as primary to any product or service, the reality is that in many cases the communication either is the product, or is the mover that makes the product usable. In continuing the legacy of Horace Hockley, the ISTC hopes to recognise the work that is done by individuals to ensure that the technical publications industry continues to move forward and is recognised, so that it provides prosperity for us all.

Horace Hockley Award Winner 2023

Relly Annett-Baker

This year the ISTC Council is delighted to present the Horace Hockley Award to our keynote speaker at TCUK23, Relly Annett-Baker.

Relly’s influence in the world of User Experience content design is inspirational and far reaching. She has over 20 years’ experience in UX content design as a consultant, content designer and content strategy manager. This includes work with the Financial Conduct Authority, Crown Commercial Service, and other agency clients. Relly also gives presentations and runs workshops on the subject.

Relly is currently Google Corporate Engineering’s Head of UX Content Strategy. She has described her role there as follows:

“I lead a 30+ team of UX writers/content designers and technical writers for Google’s internal tools organisation. My team drives content strategy for our ecosystem of HR, culture, finance, legal and compliance, security, real estate, IT and supply, and support products used by tens of thousands of Googlers around the world.”

We are pleased to recognise the importance of Relly’s success and her influence in the technical communications industry at such an exciting time.

Past winners

2022 Sarah Winters

The Horace Hockley Award is presented to a person or organisation that in the opinion of the ISTC Council has made a considerable contribution to the technical communications industry over a sustained period. This year the recipient is Sarah Winters, Founder of Content Design London.

In the early 2010s, Sarah headed the team at the Government Digital Service that looked to user-centred design techniques to transform their content. The team used this new approach to set out a system of content design in the UK Government’s content. The outcome was a tremendous success, winning awards and acknowledged by users on every visit to the GOV.uk site.

Sarah’s company Content Design London now adopts this approach working with large and small organisations across the private and public sectors. The company’s stated purpose is “to transform how your products and services are understood by your users, by automation, and by the world.

Sarah’s book, ‘Content Design’ is a fine introduction to the concept; it practical guidance on how to use it for your own projects and in your own organisation.

Watch a video of Sarah receiving the Award on the ISTC’s YouTube page.

2021 Alison Peck FISTC

This year our recipient is a Fellow of the ISTC whose influence spreads beyond the Institute to the wider technical communications community, Alison Peck FISTC.

Alison served on the ISTC Council for 12 years including a three-year term as President; she was involved with TCUK, education, books and still manages surveys. Alison made a significant contribution to the technical communications industry in managing and producing the 4th edition of Reginald Kapp’s ‘Presentation of Technical Information’. The new edition includes commentaries from current technical communicators sharing reflections and insights.

You can read Alison’s response in the Winter 2021 issue of Communicator (logged-in members only) and watch Alison accepting her award on the ISTC’s YouTube page.

Below are previous winners of the Horace Hockley award with, where available, Communicator articles about the winner.