Moving Program Reviews into the Future

Strategically Positioning Technical and Professional Communication

Authors

  • Teena A.M. Carnegie Eastern Washington University
  • Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch University of Minnesota
  • Sean D. Williams Arizona State University
  • Tharon W. Howard Clemson University

Keywords:

Learning Outcomes,, Program Assessment, External Program Review, CPTSC, Evaluation

Abstract

Since its inception, the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) has emphasized both the development and quality of technical and professional communication (TPC) programs. This article traces the evolution of CPTSC’s external program review process, from early definitions of program quality in the 1970s and 1980s through the late-20th-century rise of outcomes-based assessment, to contemporary efforts to align reviews with program sustainability. Program review is distinguished from program assessment, in that reviews encompass broader factors—faculty, governance, resources, recruitment, and strategic positioning—while integrating assessment data as one component. While assessment literature in the past two decades primarily focused on identifying and mapping learning outcomes within curricula, CPTSC’s External Program Review Taskforce (ExPRT) establishes a comprehensive external review that evaluates programs beyond individual student performance.

The article details the updated review guidelines, reviewer recruitment processes, fee structures, and support materials. The new model emphasizes a consistent, replicable process including pre-review preparation, onsite evaluation, and post-review reporting, designed to help programs navigate budgetary pressures, increased accountability demands, and a competitive higher-education landscape. A case study from Arizona State University’s Technical Writing and Communication program illustrates how aligning curriculum revision with external review requirements strengthens program coherence, scaffolding, and long-term viability.

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Author Biographies

Teena A.M. Carnegie, Eastern Washington University

Teena A. M. Carnegie is Professor at Eastern Washington University where she directed the technical communication program from 2006 to 2025. As director, she created a BA degree, developed curriculum, and conducted program reviews. She has also taught technical communication for over 30 years. She served CPTSC as a member-at-large, vice-president, and president. She currently serves as Chair of the External Program Review Taskforce (ExPRT). She coauthored an online textbook, Technical Communication as Problem Solving. She has published in various journals including TCQ, Computers and Composition, Technical Communication, Kairos, and Business Communication Quarterly.

Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch, University of Minnesota

Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Writing Studies at the University of Minnesota. Her research investigates rhetoric, writing pedagogy, and digital writing in a variety of settings such as classrooms, professional organizations, and social media. She teaches courses in technical communication, digital writing, usability research, and evaluation of online interfaces. Professor Breuch is a graduate faculty member in the Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication Program and the Human Factors and Ergonomics program at University of Minnesota.

Sean D. Williams, Arizona State University

Sean D. Williams is Professor of User Experience and Director of the School of Applied Professional Studies at Arts at Arizona State University. Prior to ASU, he served as Chair of the Technical Communication department at the University of Colorado — Colorado Springs and in multiple positions at Clemson University including Chair of the English Department and Associate Dean of the graduate school. Williams has authored or co-authored three books and more than fifty articles and book chapters. His most recent work includes the edited collection, Where We Start: A Practical Guide to Technical Communication Program Administration (UP of Colorado, 2026).

Tharon W. Howard, Clemson University

Tharon W. Howard directs the Professional Communication & Information Design program and teaches in the Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design doctoral program at Clemson University. He received STC’s J.R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching Technical Communication and the Rainey Award for Excellence in Research. He directs Clemson’s Usability Testing Facility and researches ways for improving and creating new software interfaces, online document designs, and information architectures for clients, including Pearson Higher Education, IBM, NCR Corp., and AT&T. For promoting usability and UX design in TPC, Tharon received the Usability Professionals Association’s “Extraordinary Service Award.” Howard has authored five books, including UX Writing: Designing User-Centered Content, which he co-authored with Jason Tham and Gustav Verhulsdonck.

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Published

2026-02-25

How to Cite

Carnegie, T. A., Kastman Breuch, L.-A., Williams, S. D., & Howard, T. W. (2026). Moving Program Reviews into the Future: Strategically Positioning Technical and Professional Communication . Programmatic Perspectives, 1(1). Retrieved from https://programmaticperspectives.cptsc.org/index.php/jpp/article/view/139

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026): Online First

Section

Commentaries

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Teena A.M. Carnegie, Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch, Sean D. Williams, Tharon W. Howard

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.