Technical writing is a form of technical communication, which is a style of formal writing used in fields as diverse as computer hardware and software, chemistry, the aerospace industry, robotics, finance, consumer electronics, and biotechnology. Technical writers explain technology and related ideas to technical and nontechnical audiences.
Technical writers gather information from existing documentation and from subject matter experts. A subject matter expert (SME) is any expert on the topic that the writer is working on. Technical writers are often not SMEs themselves (unless they are writing about creating good technical documentation). A good technical writer needs strong language and teaching skills and must understand the many conventions of modern technical communications.
For technical documents to be useful, readers must understand and act on them without having to decode wordy and ambiguous prose. Good technical writing clarifies technical jargon; that is, it presents useful information that is clear and easy to understand for the intended audience. Poor technical writing may increase confusion by creating unnecessary technical jargon, or failing to explain unavoidable technical terms that reader would not be expected to be familiar with.
A technical writer must follow basic 3 principles which are:
- Audience
- Source- Is there existing documentation—a rough draft? Who is the subject matter expert (SME)
- Deliverable- Is the deliverable simple text for inclusion in a book, or formatted to final form? Is the target a paper, a Web page, or something else?
Technical writing is a communication to convey a particular piece of information to a particular audience for a particular purpose. It is often exposition about scientific subjects and technical subjects associated with sciences.
Technical writing translates complex technical concepts and instructions into simpler language in order to enable users to perform a specific task in a specific way. To present appropriate information, writers must understand the audience and their goals. Audience analysis is a key feature of all technical writing.
Technical writing is often associated with online help and user manuals. However, technical writers create many other forms of technical content. These include product release notes, product troubleshooting guides, product user guides, tutorials, software installation guides, API programmers' guides, legal disclaimers, policies and procedures, business proposals, and white papers.
Technical communicators use a variety of tools to create usable information. Often referred to as a "tool set", there is no defined list of tools that are used by all technical writers. However, broad categories of tools are used by most technical writers and communicators. Many tools have independent forums that provide varying levels of support or assistance. Some of the tools are :
- Word Processors
- E-Learning programs
- Graphics programs
- Desktop publishing software
- Text editors
- HTML editors
- XML editors
- Specialized Tools for generating help files such as
- Author.IT
- DoctoHelp
- Help & Manual
- HelpConsole
- HelpServer
- MadCap Flare
- RoboHelp
- Online forums
- Other useful tools: There are many other tools that technical communicators find useful. Dictionaries are one of the most useful tools any writer can have
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About SPARC Info Technologies
SPARC Info provides a host of services in technical writing, employing the best talent the Information Development Industry has to offer and leveraging our vast network of User Assistance, Technical Documentation and Technical Publications
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