The CPTC™ credential assures employers and the public that the certified practitioner possesses the knowledge, skill, and ability needed to meet the demands of complex technical communication projects from the planning stage through completion.

Certification benefits the individual practitioner and the profession as a whole. The CPTC program elevates the profession by establishing global performance standards, increasing respect, enhancing employability for certified practitioners, and reducing hiring risk for employers.

The CPTC credential is available worldwide to experienced technical communicators who work in English and wish to demonstrate that they have the ability to meet the North American standards for practice. The program encompasses broad areas of practice that represent the major activities performed by technical communicators. The certified practitioner demonstrates proficiency in the following areas of practice:

1. User, Task, and Experience Analysis - Define the users of the information and analyze the tasks that the information must support.
2. Information Design - Plan information deliverables to support task requirements. Specify and design the organization, presentation, distribution and archival process for each deliverable.
3. Process Management - Plan the deliverables schedule and monitor the process of fulfillment.
4. Information Development - Author content in conformance with the design plan, through an iterative process of creation, review, and revision.
5. Information Production - Assemble developed content into required deliverables that conform to all design, compliance, and production guidelines. Publish, deliver, and archive.

These 5 areas of practice map to 9 submission packets.

CPTC certification is based on assessment of a submission packet of work samples, work artifacts, and responses to questions.