Technical writing

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Technical writing is the writing of technical content, particularly relating to industrial and other applied sciences, with an emphasis on occupational contexts. [1] The range of audiences for technical writing varies widely. By far, the most common form of technical writing is for procedural documentation (standardized, step-by-step guides). Procedural documentation is used in all types of manufacturing to explain user, assembly and installation instructions. In the software industry, procedural documents are also commonly used to describe user operations and installations. In some cases, technical writing may be written for experts or technicians and include specialized information (e.g., white papers, industry articles and academic papers). [2] In most cases, however, technical writers help convey complex scientific or niche subjects to end users in "laymen's" terms. Modern technical writing relies on simple terms and short sentences, rather than detailed explanations with unnecessary information like pronouns, abstract words and/or unfamiliar acronyms. [3] Technical writing is recognized as the largest segment of the technical communication field. [4]

Contents

Examples of fields requiring technical writing include computer hardware and software, architecture, engineering, chemistry, aeronautics, robotics, finance, medical, consumer electronics, biotechnology, and forestry.

Overview

Technical writing is almost always performed by a trained technical writer and the content they produce is part of a well-defined process. Technical writers follow strict guidelines so the technical information they share appears in a single, popularly used standardized format and style (e.g., DITA, AP Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style). The authors of any organization's technical writing should be indistinguishable to the reader - with no variations in grammar use and/or style. A technical writer's primary task is to communicate technical information to another person or party in the clearest and most effective manner possible. [5] : 4  [6] The information that technical writers communicate is often complex, so strong writing and communication skills are essential. Technical writers not only convey information through text, but they must be proficient with computers as well. Technical writers use a wide range of programs to create and edit illustrations, diagrams, CAD explosions, and use the latest document processors to design, create, and format documents. [7]

While technical writing is commonly associated with instructions and user manuals, the terms technical writing and technical documentation can cover a wider range of genres and formats. memos, reports, business proposals, datasheets, product descriptions and specifications, and white papers are but a few examples of writing that can be considered technical documentation. [8]

Technical writing is not always handled by dedicated technical writers. Engineers occasionally write about their own work, but this rarely occurs at large businesses. On the business side, marketing materials or press releases are usually written by writers trained in a marketing field, although a technical writer may be relied upon to provide editing and other input on any technical content an organization may produce.

History

While technical writing has only been recognized as a profession since World War II, [9] : 2  [10] its roots can be traced to classical antiquity. [11] : 233  Critics cite the works of writers like Aristotle as the earliest forms of technical writing. [11] : 234  Geoffrey Chaucer's work, A Treatise on the Astrolabe , is an early example of a technical document. [12] The earliest examples of technical writing date back to the Old English period. [13]

With the invention of the mechanical printing press, the onset of the Renaissance and the rise of the Age of Reason, documenting findings became a necessity. Inventors and scientists like Isaac Newton and Leonardo da Vinci prepared documents that chronicled their inventions and findings. [9] : 1  While never called technical documents during their period of publication, these documents played a crucial role in developing modern forms of technical communication and writing. [9]

The field of technical communication grew during the Industrial Revolution. [14] : 3  There was a growing need to provide people with instructions for using the increasingly complex machines that were being invented. [14] : 8  However, unlike the past, where skills were handed down through oral traditions, no one besides the inventors knew how to use these new devices. Writing thus became the fastest and most effective way to disseminate information, and writers who could document these devices were desired. [14]

During the 20th century, the need for technical writing skyrocketed, and the profession became officially recognized. The events of World War I and World War II led to advances in medicine, military hardware, computer technology, and aerospace technologies. [9] : 2  This rapid growth, coupled with the urgency of war, created an immediate need for well-designed documentation to support the use of these technologies. Technical writing was in high demand during this time, and "technical writer" became an official job title during World War II. [9] : 1 

Following World War II, technological advances led to an increase in consumer goods and standards of living. [9] : 3  During the post-war boom, public services like libraries and universities, as well as transport systems like buses and highways, saw substantial growth. The need for writers to chronicle these processes increased. [9] : 1  It was also during this period that large business and universities started using computers. Notably, in 1949, Joseph D. Chapline authored the first computational technical document, an instruction manual for the BINAC computer. [15]

The invention of the transistor in 1947 allowed computers to be produced more cheaply and within the purchasing range of individuals and small businesses. [9] : 3  As the market for these "personal computers" grew, so did the need for writers who could explain and provide user documentation for these devices. [9] : 3  The profession of technical writing saw further expansion during the 1970s and 1980s as consumer electronics found their way into the homes of more and more people. [9]

In recent years, the prominence of computers in society has led to many advances in the field of digital communications, leading to changes in the tools technical writers use. [9] : 3  Hypertext, word processors, graphics editing programs, and page laying software have made the creation of technical documents faster and easier, and technical writers of today must be proficient in these programs. [5] : 8–9 

Technical documents

Technical writing covers many genres and writing styles, depending on the information and audience. Some examples of commonly used technical documentation include:

Tools

The following tools are used by technical writers to author and present documents:

List of associations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markup language</span> Modern system for annotating a document

A markuplanguage is a text-encoding system which specifies the structure and formatting of a document and potentially the relationship between its parts. Markup can control the display of a document or enrich its content to facilitate automated processing.

Software documentation is written text or illustration that accompanies computer software or is embedded in the source code. The documentation either explains how the software operates or how to use it, and may mean different things to people in different roles.

A document management system (DMS) is usually a computerized system used to store, share, track and manage files or documents. Some systems include history tracking where a log of the various versions created and modified by different users is recorded. The term has some overlap with the concepts of content management systems. It is often viewed as a component of enterprise content management (ECM) systems and related to digital asset management, document imaging, workflow systems and records management systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe FrameMaker</span> Document processor for the production and manipulation of large structured documents

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Documentation is any communicable material that is used to describe, explain or instruct regarding some attributes of an object, system or procedure, such as its parts, assembly, installation, maintenance, and use. As a form of knowledge management and knowledge organization, documentation can be provided on paper, online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or CDs. Examples are user guides, white papers, online help, and quick-reference guides. Paper or hard-copy documentation has become less common. Documentation is often distributed via websites, software products, and other online applications.

A technical writer is a professional information communicator whose task is to transfer information between two or more parties, through any medium that best facilitates the transfer and comprehension of the information. Technical writers research and create information through a variety of delivery media. Example types of information include online help, manuals, white papers, design specifications, project plans, and software test plans. With the rise of e-learning, technical writers are increasingly becoming involved with creating online training material.

Technical communication is communication of technical subject matter such as engineering, science, or technology content. The largest part of it tends to be technical writing, though importantly it often requires aspects of visual communication. Technical communication also encompasses oral delivery modes such as presentations involving technical material. When technical communication occurs in workplace settings, it's considered a major branch of professional communication. In research or R&D contexts, it can overlap with scientific writing.

Audience analysis is a task that is often performed by technical writers in a project's early stages. It consists of assessing the audience to make sure the information provided to them is at the appropriate level. The audience is often referred to as the end-user, and all communications need to be targeted towards the defined audience. Defining an audience requires the consideration of many factors, such as age, culture and knowledge of the subject. After considering all the known factors, a profile of the intended audience can be created, allowing writers to write in a manner that is understood by the intended audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">User guide</span> Technical communication document

A user guide, also commonly known as a user manual, is intended to assist users in using a particular product, service or application. It's usually written by a technician, product developer, or a company's customer service staff.

User assistance is a general term for guided assistance to a user of a software product. The phrase incorporates all forms of help available to a user. Assistance can also automatically perform procedures or step users through the procedure, depending on the question that the user asked. The term is broader than online help, and includes procedural and tutorial information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owner's manual</span>

An owner's manual is an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer products such as vehicles, home appliances and computer peripherals. Information contained in the owner's manual typically includes:

User experience design defines the experience a user would go through when interacting with a company, its services, and its products. User experience design is a user centered design approach because it considers the user's experience when using a product or platform. Research, data analysis, and test results drive design decisions in UX design rather than aesthetic preferences and opinions. Unlike user interface design, which focuses solely on the design of a computer interface, UX design encompasses all aspects of a user's perceived experience with a product or website, such as its usability, usefulness, desirability, brand perception, and overall performance. UX design is also an element of the customer experience (CX), and encompasses all aspects and stages of a customer's experience and interaction with a company.

In technical communication, topic-based authoring or topic-based writing is a modular approach to content creation where content is structured around topics that can be mixed and reused in different contexts. It is defined in contrast with book-oriented or narrative content, written in the linear structure of written books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MadCap Software</span>

MadCap Software is an American computer software firm headquartered in San Diego, California that creates help authoring tools and solutions for technical writers and documentation teams. Several principal managers, software engineers, and support personnel were recruited from rival firms, such as Adobe Systems and Macromedia, to found MadCap Software. MadCap's authoring tools are all based on xHTML.

A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is often a type of technical standard.

Technical translation is a type of specialized translation involving the translation of documents produced by technical writers, or more specifically, texts which relate to technological subject areas or texts which deal with the practical application of scientific and technological information. While the presence of specialized terminology is a feature of technical texts, specialized terminology alone is not sufficient for classifying a text as "technical" since numerous disciplines and subjects which are not "technical" possess what can be regarded as specialized terminology. Technical translation covers the translation of many kinds of specialized texts and requires a high level of subject knowledge and mastery of the relevant terminology and writing conventions.

An API writer is a technical writer who writes documents that describe an application programming interface (API). The primary audience includes programmers, developers, system architects, and system designers.

Technical documentation is a generic term for the classes of information created to describe the use, functionality or architecture of a product, system or service.

Proposal software also known as proposal management software, proposal writing software, or proposal automation software is a computer program designed to help users develop proposals, presentations, and responses to RFPs. Proposal management software is becoming increasingly popular in companies that manage frequent and extensive proposal writing projects. Such software allows businesses to automate more routine tasks while easily tracking multiple versions.

References

  1. ↑ "What is Technical Writing? - Tech Writer Today".
  2. ↑ Hamlin, Annemarie; Rubio, Chris; Desilva, Michele (2015). "Audience Analysis".
  3. ↑ Marshall, Carrie (2018). Technical Writing For Business People (1st ed.). Swindon UK. p. 1.
  4. ↑ "Technical Communications - What is it? - Tech Writer Today".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mike Markel (2012). Technical Communication 10th Edition. Bedford/St. Martins.
  6. ↑ "Technical Writers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics". www.bls.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  7. ↑ Johnson, Tom (December 19, 2011). "What Tools Do Technical Writers Use". I'd Rather Be Writing. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  8. ↑ Perelman, Leslie C.; Barrett, Edward; Paradis James. "Document Types". The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 O'Hara, Fredrick M. Jr. "A Brief History of Technical Communication" (PDF). Montana State University Billings. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  10. ↑ Alamargot, Denis; Terrier, Patrice; Cellier, Jean-Marie, eds. (2007-10-01). Written Documents in the Workplace. doi:10.1163/9789004253254. ISBN   9780080474878.
  11. 1 2 Doody, Aude; Follinger, Sabine; Taub, Liba (February 8, 2012). "Structures and Strategies in Ancient Greek and Roman Technical Writing: An Introduction" (PDF). Studies in History and Philosophy of Science. 43 (2). University Of Cambridge: 233–236. Bibcode:2012SHPSA..43..233D. doi:10.1016/j.shpsa.2011.12.021. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  12. ↑ "The Way to the Stars: Build Your Own Astrolabe". Saint John's College. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  13. ↑ Hagge, John (July 1990). "The First Technical Writer in English: A Challenge to the Hegemony of Chaucer". Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. 20 (3): 269–289. doi:10.2190/vwcw-xkmv-949f-vlf7. ISSN   0047-2816. S2CID   170879476.
  14. 1 2 3 Crabbe, Stephen (2012). "Constructing a Contextual History of English Language Technical Writing" (PDF). University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  15. ↑ "History of Technical Writing". Proedit. 14 September 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Dictionary and Thesaurus". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  17. ↑ Johnson, Tom "What Tools Do Technical Writers Use". I'd Rather Be Writing. December 19, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  18. ↑ "What is LyX". LyX. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  19. ↑ Hewitt, John (January 18, 2005). "How Technical Writers use Microsoft Visio". Poe War. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  20. ↑ Brierley, Sean (2002). Screen Captures 102 (PDF). STC Carolina (Report). pp. 5–8. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  21. ↑ Johnson, Tom (December 19, 2011). "What Tools Do Technical Writers Use". I'd Rather Be Writing. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
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