Typist / P3

The typist is a key person. Proficient typing means skill, speed, accuracy and an intelligent application to the task. The role is not merely a mechanical transcription of the handwritten message into typescript, although it can be limited to this; but in the hands of a typist who is sensitive to fluency of different participants in the language of the Bulletin, is attentive to the content of the message and is confident in correction of spelling and punctuation, who registers the flow of meaning of previous messages, who has a mature vocabulary, who is accurate, quick and can self-correct - much of the load of the editor/layout person can be handled at this early stage. If fact it is possible in small conferences for one multi-skilled person to handle all these tasks.

Almost anyone can use a keyboard. More typists can substitute for proficiency provided other resources are not limiting (such as the number of keyboards and the complexity of compilation from many sources). It is not just a "typing-time factor", however. Inefficient typists add greatly to the time required for routine proofing and correction. Consider the pros and cons of using professional typists as against volunteers.

It is a useful question to ask generally in which areas of the production process you want your strength and flexibility - for example, it would be if an unexpectedly abundant flow of messages was restricted by a system of "second-class" typing coupled with time-consuming proofing and correction, when one acceptable solution "in the moment" might be to print a "first-class" typed copy as it emerged and tolerate the few errors (see also Turnaround / Frequency / S6)

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