Technical writing

Technical writing is a specialized form of communication used by many of today's industrial and scientific organizations to clearly and accurately convey complex information to a user. An organization's customers, employees, assembly workers, engineers, and scientists are some of the most common users who reference this form of content to complete a task or research a subject. Most technical writing relies on simplified grammar, supported by easy-to-understand visual communication to clearly and accurately explain complex information.

An example of an "exploded" CAD diagram. Explosions with callouts are common visual communication created by technical writers, from CAD models, to help simplify technical writing content.

Technical writing is a labor-intensive form of writing that demands accurate research of a subject and the conversion of the collected information into a written format, style, and reading level the end-user will easily understand or connect with. There are two main forms of technical writing. By far, the most common form of technical writing is procedural documentation written for the general public (e.g., standardized step-by-step guides and standard operating procedures (SOPs)). Procedural technical writing is used in all types of manufacturing to explain user operation, assembly, installation instructions, and personnel work/safety steps. Written procedures are widely used in manufacturing, software development, medical research, and many other scientific fields. The software industry has grown into one of the largest users of technical writing and relies on procedural documents to describe a program's user operation and installation instructions.

In some applications, technical writing may be written for experts or fellow scientists within a field of work or study. In these applications, a "white paper" form of technical writing is used to describe a specialized topic and market a product/service or opinion/discovery to select readers. Organizations normally use the white paper form to publish technical writing as industry journal articles or academic papers. The white paper form is written to appeal to readers familiar with a technical topic. Unlike procedural technical writing, white papers often include unique industry terms and data. Sometimes called scientific technical writing, this secondary form of technical writing must show a deep knowledge of a subject and the field of work with the sole purpose of persuading readers to agree with a paper's conclusion. This form of technical writing is often ghost written by a technical writer. A technical writer will closely collaborate with an organization's industry expert to author these documents but is rarely credited in the published version.

In most cases, however, technical writing is used to help convey complex scientific or niche subjects to end users in "laymen's" terms and includes purely factual content. Modern procedural technical writing relies on simple terms and short sentences, rather than detailed explanations with unnecessary information like personal pronouns, abstract words and unfamiliar acronyms. To achieve the right grammar; procedural docs are written from a third-person, objective perspective, with an active voice and formal tone. A more complete description of the technical writing style is provided in Strunk and White's book The Elements of Style. Technical writing grammar is very similar to print journalism and follows the same style. Although technical writing plays an integral role in the work of engineering, health care, and science; it does not require a degree in any of these fields. Instead, the document's author must be an expert in technical writing. An organization's Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), internal specifications, and a formal engineering review process are relied upon to ensure accuracy. The division of labor helps bring greater focus to the two sides of an organization's documentation, ensuring greater accuracy and quality. Most technical writers hold a liberal arts degree in a writing discipline, such as technical communication, journalism, English, technical journalism, communication, etc. Technical writing is the largest segment of the technical communication field.

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

Overview

Further information: Technical writer

Technical writing is most commonly performed by a trained technical writer and the content they produce is the result of a well-defined process. Technical writers follow strict guidelines so the technical information they share appears in a single, popularly used and standardized format and style (e.g., DITA, markdown format, AP Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style). A technical writer's primary task is to communicate technical information in the clearest and most effective manner possible. To achieve the highest level of clarity, the authors of an organization's technical writing should be indistinguishable to the reader - with no variations in the established format, grammar, and/or style. The subject matter a technical writer communicates 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 the latest graphics software. Technical writers use a wide range of programs to create and edit illustrations, diagrams, and CAD explosions. Proficiency in the latest graphics software is a requirement for most technical writing.

In some cases, engineers may perform the technical writing for the project they are working on, but this rarely occurs in large organizations where products must be released or revised weekly. On the business side, marketing materials or press releases are usually written by writers trained in a marketing field and/or creative writing. However, a technical writer may be relied upon to provide editing and other input on any technical content an organization may produce.

History

Like the technical writing Ikea provides with their products, ancient Egyptian technical writers often relied purely on visual communication to explain a procedure.

While technical writing has only been recognized as a profession since World War II, its roots can be traced to ancient Egypt where visual communication was regularly used to explain procedures. In ancient Greek and Roman times, technical writing by the works of writers like Aristotle and Democratus are cited as some of the earliest forms of written technical writing. The earliest examples of what would be considered modern procedural technical writing date back to the early alchemists. These early scientists developed what we now know as "recipes". Some of the earliest discoveries of written, procedural steps in Western Civilization date back to 1100 A.D. However, visual communication was used to describe procedures in ancient India and China much earlier.

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. 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.

The field of technical communication grew during the Industrial Revolution. There was a growing need to provide people with instructions for using the increasingly complex machines that were being invented. 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.

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. 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.

Following World War II, technological advances led to an increase in consumer goods and standards of living. 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. 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.

The invention of the transistor in 1947 allowed computers to be produced more cheaply and within the purchasing range of individuals and small businesses. As the market for these "personal computers" grew, so did the need for writers who could explain and provide user documentation for these devices. 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.

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. 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.

Technical documents

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

• API documentation: Used exclusively in the web development field to document the operation and installation instructions for an application programming interface. API documentation tools (e.g., Swagger, Postman, etc.) include editing and uploading components for "Git" repository storage. API documentation is generally written or converted into a standardized "markdown" format.
• Assembly Instructions (AI): Provides internal procedures for assembly-line personnel. Individual steps are written and assigned to members of an assembly team. Often the technical writer will include CAD explosions to simplify complex assemblies.
• Case study: A published report about a person, group, or situation that has been studied over time; also a situation in real life that can be looked at or studied to learn about something. In large organizations, technical writers only provide copyediting or ghostwriting services for case studies. Management-level authorship is generally required to meet national standards and codes.
• Component Maintenance Manuals (CMMs): Mainly used in aerospace, these manuals are written for comprehensive component repairs and/or modifications. Manufacturers author CMMs for aircraft owners. All component-related Service Bulletins must be incorporated and/or referenced in a CMM, along with complete component information. CMMs follow Aerospace Transport Association (ATA) formatting and ATA Spec 100/iSpec 2200 chaptering.
• Installation manuals (IM): Procedures designed to help the end-user install a product or software program in the field.
• Knowledgebase or Help center: Online help sites that provide users with technical information about products and services. They provide an online database of technical writing content. The content may be created in SGML, XML, or XHTML. Technical writing Content management systems are used to manage and upload these websites.
• Packing list or Shipping list: Identifies the parts, packaging, and manufacturer's contact information.
• Service Bulletins (SBs): Mainly used in aerospace, these manuals are for minor repairs and modifications. Manufacturers author SBs for aircraft owners. SBs follow Aerospace Transport Association (ATA) formatting and ATA Spec 100/iSpec 2200 chaptering.
• Specifications or Specs: Used in the construction industry to outline installation minimum standards and requirements. Specifications are normally provided to the builder by a project manager and must be signed and accepted by the builder as part of the contract. Formatting standards are set by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI).
• Specification sheet/Spec Sheets or Datasheets: One or two-page reference sheets, designed to provide a list of general product characteristics an end-user may require to make a purchase to ensure the required parameters will be met. Maximum and minimum parameters may include: size and footprint, weight, connection type or interfaces, electrical requirements, speed, etc.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Procedural steps military, manufacturing, medical, and industrial safety personnel reference to accomplish assembly, processing, or any other work task that must be physically completed in proper order.
• Technical marketing content: Information written exclusively for marketing purposes. This content is often used to help describe product information and specifications in marketing materials and on product/service web pages. Traditionally, creative writers specializing in marketing are hired for this work.
• User Manuals (UM) or Operation manuals: Procedural instructions for a product or program's operation.
• White papers: Marketing documents, often ghostwritten by technical writers and credited to experts in a field. All white papers have a persuasive subject and present an argument supporting the author's conclusion.

Tools

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

• CAD rendering: Technical writers working in mechanical engineering often use CAD rendering tools to "explode" engineering-created and -approved 3D CAD designs. The goal is to visually communicate assembly/disassembly procedural steps more clearly. Specialized CAD software, designed for "tech comm", is normally used.
• Collaborative software programs. Technical writing requires collaboration between multiple parties from different departments within an organization. To increase communication between parties, technical writers rely on Wiki Systems such as Confluence and shared document workspacess.
• Content Management Systems (CMSs): Modern technical writing is edited and published in a specialized CMS or CCMS designed for technical writing. The CMS is used to easily and rapidly publish large volumes of technical writing content online. The uploaded content is automatically converted into a "knowledgebase" help system for end-users to reference. In addition to basic WYSIWYG editing features and web uploading, a CMS also provides content management features with version management and built-in tools to manage large documentation workflows. Most CMSs used for technical writing are SGML, XML, or XHTML based.
• Desktop publishing tools or word processors: In the 1990s, most technical writing was performed with word processing tools. These early programs allowed technical writers to author, edit, design, and print documents from a computer. White paper authors generally still rely on word processing and enhanced desktop publishing tools for desktop publishing.
• Graphics software: Images and other visual elements are used in technical writing to help communicate information in simpler terms than printed text can accomplish. In these instances, popularly used graphic software is used in technical writing to create and edit the visual elements of documents (e.g., photos, icons, diagrams, etc.)
• Graphing software. To communicate statistical information, technical writing often includes graphs and flowcharts. Popular database software is commonly used to create basic graphs and charts. Occasionally, technical writing must provide more sophisticated graphs with interactive online features. SQL database graphing software is often used to perform this work.
• Screen capture tools: Technical writing for software procedures frequently includes screen captures. There are two types of screen capture - still frame and video. Still-frame screen captures are popularly used in the software industry. Technical writers often include a still-frame screen capture to help explain more complex procedures. Sometimes, a technical writer may simply record a short video of their desktops to show a software procedure. However, this is less common due to the many revisions software experiences.
• Specification software: Cloud-based specifying software is often used by a "specifier/technical writer" to select a list of common minimum standards required for a construction project. These programs are normally formatted to comply with the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) standards.

List of associations

• Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
• Czech Society for Technical Communication
• European Association for Technical Communication
• IEEE Professional Communication Society
• Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators
• International Association of Business Communicators
• SIGDOC
• Society for Technical Communication

External links

• Technical Writing Education Programs - Los Angeles Chapter, Society for Technical Communication (LASTC)
• IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
• Technical writing courses from Wikiversity