Technical communication

Last updated

Technical communication (or Tech Comm) 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 (which in turn sometimes entails technical drawing, requiring more specialized training). 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 (academic or industrial), it can overlap with scientific writing.

Contents

Technical communication is used to convey scientific, engineering, or other technical information. [1] Individuals in a variety of contexts and with varied professional credentials engage in technical communication. Some individuals are designated as technical communicators or technical writers as their primary role; for some others, the role is inherently part of their technical position (e.g., engineers). In either case, these individuals utilize appropriate skills to research, document, and present technical information as needed. Technical communicators may use modalities including paper documents, digital files, audio and video media, and live delivery.

The Society for Technical Communication defines the field as any form of communication that focuses on technical or specialized topics, communicates specifically by using technology, or provides instructions on how to do something. [2] [3] More succinctly, the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators defines technical communication as factual communication, usually about products and services. [4] The European Association for Technical Communication briefly defines technical communication as "the process of defining, creating and delivering information products for the safe, efficient and effective use of products (technical systems, software, services)". [5]

Whatever the definition of technical communication, the overarching goal of the practice is to create easily accessible information for a specific audience. [6]

As a profession

Technical communicators generally tailor information to a specific audience, which may be subject matter experts, consumers, end-users, etc. Technical communicators often work collaboratively to create deliverables that include online help, user manuals, classroom training guides, computer-based training, white papers, government documents, industrial videos, reference cards, data sheets, journal articles, and patents. Technical domains can be of any kind, including the soft and hard sciences, high technology including computers and software, and consumer electronics. Technical communicators often work with a range of subject-matter experts (SMEs) on these projects.

Technical communication jobs include the following: [3] API writer, e-learning author, information architect, technical content developer, technical editor, technical illustrator, technical trainer, technical translator, technical writer, usability expert, user experience designer, and user interface designer. Other jobs available to technical communicators include digital strategist, marketing specialist, and content manager.

In 2015, the European Association for Technical Communication published a competence framework for the professional field of technical communication. [7]

Much like technology and the world economy, technical communication as a profession has evolved over the last half-century. [8] [9] In a nutshell, technical communicators take the physiological research of a project and apply it to the communication process itself.

UX Design in Technical Communications

Historically, Technical & Professional Communication (TPC) has been as an industry that practices writing and communication. However, recently User Experience (UX) Design has become more prominent in TPC as companies look to develop content for a wide range of audiences and experiences. [10]

The User Experience Professionals Association defines user experience, or UX, as "Every aspect of the user's interaction with a product, service, or company that make up the user's perception of the whole." [11] Therefore, "user experience design as a discipline is concerned with all the elements that together make up that interface, including layout, visual design, text, brand, sound, and interaction." [11]

It is now an expectation that technical communication skills should be coupled with UX design. As Verhulsdonck, Howard, and Tham state "...it is not enough to write good content. According to industry expectations, next to writing good content, it is now also crucial to design good experiences around that content." Technical communicators must now consider different platforms such as social media and apps, as well as different channels like web and mobile. [10]

As Redish explains, TPC no longer writes content but "writes around the interface" itself as the user experience surrounding content is developed. This includes usable content customized to specific user needs, that addresses user emotions, feelings, and thoughts across different channels in a UX ecology. [12] [10]

Lauer and Brumberger further assert, "…UX is a natural extension of the work that technical communicators already do, especially in the modern technological context of responsive design, in which content is deployed across a wide range of interfaces and environments." [13]

Content creation

Technical communication is a task performed by specialized employees or consultants. For example, a professional writer may work with a company to produce a user manual. Some companies give considerable technical communication responsibility to other technical professionals—such as programmers, engineers, and scientists. Often, a professional technical writer edits such work to bring it up to modern technical communication standards.

To begin the documentation process, technical communicators identify the audience and their information needs. The technical communicator researches and structures the content into a framework that can guide detailed development. As the body of information comes together, the technical communicator ensures that the intended audience can understand the content and retrieve the information they need. This process, known as the writing process, has been a central focus of writing theory since the 1970s, and some contemporary textbook authors apply it to technical communication. Technical communication is important to most professions, as a way to contain and organize information and maintain accuracy.

The technical writing process is based on Cicero's 5 canons of rhetoric, and can be divided into six steps:

  1. Determine purpose and audience
  2. Collect information (Invention)
  3. Organize and outline information (Arrangement)
  4. Write the first draft (Style)
  5. Revise and edit (Memory)
  6. Publish output (Delivery)

Determining purpose and audience

All technical communication serves a particular purpose—typically to communicate ideas and concepts to an audience, or instruct an audience in a particular task. Technical communication professionals use various techniques to understand the audience and, when possible, test content on the target audience. For example, if bank workers don't properly post deposits, a technical communicator would review existing instructional material (or lack thereof), interview bank workers to identify conceptual errors, interview subject matter experts to learn the correct procedures, author new material that instructs workers in the correct procedures, and test the new material on the bank workers.

Similarly, a sales manager who wonders which of two sites is better for a new store might ask a marketing professional to study the sites and write a report with recommendations. The marketing professional hands the report off to a technical communicator (in this case, a technical editor or technical writer), who edits, formats, and sometimes elaborates the document in order to make the marketing professional's expert assessment usable to the sales manager. The process is not one of knowledge transfer, but the accommodation of knowledge across fields of expertise and contexts of use. This is the basic definition of technical communication.

Audience type affects many aspects of communication, from word selection and graphics use to style and organization. Most often, to address a particular audience, a technical communicator must consider what qualities make a text useful (capable of supporting a meaningful task) and usable (capable of being used in service of that task). A non-technical audience might misunderstand or not even read a document that is heavy with jargon—while a technical audience might crave detail critical to their work such as vector notation. Busy audiences often don't have time to read entire documents, so content must be organized for ease of searching—for example by frequent headings, white space, and other cues that guide attention. Other requirements vary according to a particular audience's needs.

Technical communicators may need to translate, globalize, or localize their documents to meet the needs of audiences in different linguistic and cultural markets. Globalization involves producing technical content that meets the needs of "as many audiences as possible," ideally an international audience. [14] Localization adapts existing technical content to fit the "cultural, rhetorical, educational, ethical, [and] legal" expectations of users in a specific local context. [14]

Technical communication, in the government, is particular and detailed. Depending on the segment of government (and country), the government component must follow distinct specifications. Information changes continuously and technical communications (technical manuals, interactive electronic technical manuals, technical bulletins, etc.) must be updated.

Collecting information

Technical communicators must collect all information that each document requires. They may collect information through primary (first-hand) research—or secondary research, using information from existing work by other authors. Technical communicators must acknowledge all sources they use to produce their work. To this end, technical communicators typically distinguish quotations, paraphrases, and summaries when taking notes.

Organizing and outlining information

Before writing the initial draft, the technical communicator organizes ideas in a way that makes the document flow well. Once each idea is organized, the writer organizes the document as a whole—accomplishing this task in various ways:

  1. chronological: used for documents that involve a linear process, such as a step-by-step guide that describes how to accomplish something;
  2. parts of an object: Used for documents that describe the parts of an object, such as a graphic showing the parts of a computer (keyboard, monitor, mouse, etc.);
  3. simple to complex (or vice versa): starts with easy ideas and gradually goes into complex ideas;
  4. specific to general: starts with many ideas, then organizes the ideas into sub-categories;
  5. general to specific: starts with a few categories of ideas, then goes deeper.

After organizing the whole document, the writer typically creates a final outline that shows the document's structure. Outlines make the writing process easier and save the author time.

Writing the first draft

After the outline is complete, the writer begins the first draft, following the outline's structure. Setting aside blocks of an hour or more, in a place free of distractions, helps the writer maintain a flow. Most writers prefer to wait until the draft is complete before any revising so they don't break their flow. Typically, the writer should start with the easiest section, and write the summary only after the body is drafted.

The ABC (abstract, body, and conclusion) format can be used when writing a first draft of some document types. The abstract describes the subject so that the reader knows what the document covers. The body is the majority of the document and covers topics in depth. Lastly, the conclusion section restates the document's main topics. The ABC format can also apply to individual paragraphs—beginning with a topic sentence that states the paragraph's topic, followed by the topic, and finally, a concluding sentence.

Revising and editing

Once the initial draft is laid out, editing and revising can be done to fine-tune the draft into a final copy. Usability testing can be helpful to evaluate how well the writing and/or design meets the needs of end-users and to suggest improvements [ [15] ] Four tasks transform the early draft into its final form, suggested by Pfeiffer and Boogard:[ citation needed ]

Adjusting and reorganizing content

In this step, the writer revises the draft to elaborate on topics that need more attention, shorten other sections—and relocate certain paragraphs, sentences, or entire topics.

Editing for style

Good style makes writing more interesting, appealing, and readable. In general, the personal writing style of the writer is not evident in technical writing. Modern technical writing style relies on attributes that contribute to clarity: headings, lists, graphics; generous white space, short sentences, present tense, simple nouns, active voice [16] (though some scientific applications still use the passive voice), second and third person as required

Technical writing as a discipline usually requires that a technical writer use a style guide. These guides may relate to a specific project, product, company, or brand. They ensure that technical writing reflects formatting, punctuation, and general stylistic standards that the audience expects. In the United States, many consider the Chicago Manual of Style the bible for general technical communication. Other style guides have their adherents, particularly for specific industries—such as the Microsoft Style Guide in some information technology settings.

Editing for grammar and punctuation

At this point, the writer performs a mechanical edit, checking the document for grammar, punctuation, common word confusions, passive voice, overly long sentences, etc.

See also

Related Research Articles

Web design encompasses many different skills and disciplines in the production and maintenance of websites. The different areas of web design include web graphic design; user interface design ; authoring, including standardised code and proprietary software; user experience design ; and search engine optimization. Often many individuals will work in teams covering different aspects of the design process, although some designers will cover them all. The term "web design" is normally used to describe the design process relating to the front-end design of a website including writing markup. Web design partially overlaps web engineering in the broader scope of web development. Web designers are expected to have an awareness of usability and be up to date with web accessibility guidelines.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Editing</span> Process of selecting and preparing media to convey information

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, and many other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate and complete piece of work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Information design</span> Communication and graphic design

Information design is the practice of presenting information in a way that fosters an efficient and effective understanding of the information. The term has come to be used for a specific area of graphic design related to displaying information effectively, rather than just attractively or for artistic expression. Information design is closely related to the field of data visualization and is often taught as part of graphic design courses. The broad applications of information design along with its close connections to other fields of design and communication practices have created some overlap in the definitions of communication design, data visualization, and information architecture.

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.

An outline, also called a hierarchical outline, is a list arranged to show hierarchical relationships and is a type of tree structure. An outline is used to present the main points or topics (terms) of a given subject. Each item in an outline may be divided into additional sub-items. If an organizational level in an outline is to be sub-divided, it shall have at least two subcategories, although one subcategory is acceptable on the third and fourth levels, as advised by major style manuals in current use. An outline may be used as a drafting tool of a document, or as a summary of the content of a document or of the knowledge in an entire field. It is not to be confused with the general context of the term "outline", which a summary or overview of a subject, presented verbally or written in prose. The outlines described in this article are lists, and come in several varieties.

Technical writing is the writing of technical content, particularly relating to industrial and other applied sciences, with an emphasis on occupational contexts. The range of audiences for technical writing varies widely. In some cases, it is directed to people with specialized knowledge, such as experts or technicians. In other situations, technical writers help convey complex scientific or niche subjects to end users who need a basic understanding of a concept rather than a full explanation of a subject. Technical writing is the largest part of technical communication.

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.

Communication design is a mixed discipline between design and information-development concerned with how media communicate with people. A communication design approach is concerned with developing the message and aesthetics in media. It also creates new media channels to ensure the message reaches the target audience. Due to overlapping skills, some designers use graphic design and communication design interchangeably.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">User interface design</span> Planned operator–machine interaction

User interface (UI) design or user interface engineering is the design of user interfaces for machines and software, such as computers, home appliances, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, with the focus on maximizing usability and the user experience. In computer or software design, user interface (UI) design primarily focuses on information architecture. It is the process of building interfaces that clearly communicate to the user what's important. UI design refers to graphical user interfaces and other forms of interface design. The goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction as simple and efficient as possible, in terms of accomplishing user goals.

Professional writing is writing for reward or as a profession; as a product or object, professional writing is any form of written communication produced in a workplace environment or context that enables employees to, for example, communicate effectively among themselves, help leadership make informed decisions, advise clients, comply with federal, state, or local regulatory bodies, bid for contracts, etc. For example, in a business office, a memorandum can be used to provide a solution to a problem, make a suggestion, or convey information. Other forms of professional writing commonly generated in the workplace include email, letters, reports, and instructions. In seeking to inform, persuade, instruct, stimulate debate, or encourage action from recipients, skilled professional writers make adjustments to different degrees of shared context, e.g., from a relatively accessible style useful for unsolicited contact letter to prospective clients to a technical report that relies on a highly specialized in-house vocabulary.

A medical writer, also referred to as medical communicator, is a person who applies the principles of clinical research in developing clinical trial documents that effectively and clearly describe research results, product use, and other medical information. The medical writer develops any of the five modules of the Common Technical Document. The medical writers also ensure that their documents comply with regulatory, journal, or other guidelines in terms of content, format, and structure.

A content designer is tasked with communicating information in the best way possible. An effective content designer is expected to be skilled in language(s), psychology, user experience (UX), graphic design, and the technical requirements of front-end development. A content designer is an expert across various media, and is skilled in drafting compelling text, images, and videos.

The Microsoft Manual of Style: Your Everyday Guide to Usage, Terminology, and Style for Professional Technical Communications (MSTP), in former editions the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, was a style guide published by Microsoft. The fourth edition, ISBN 0-7356-4871-9, was published in 2012. Microsoft employees and partners also had access to a Microsoft Compressed HTML Help (CHM) version.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structured writing</span>

Structured writing is a form of technical writing that uses and creates structured documents to allow people to digest information both faster and easier. From 1963 to 1965, Robert E. Horn worked to develop a way to structure and connect large amounts of information, taking inspiration from geographical maps. He coined the term "Information Mapping" to describe his method of analyzing, organizing, and displaying knowledge in print and in the new online presentation of text and graphics.

A style guide is a set of standards for the writing, formatting, and design of documents. A book-length style guide is often called a style manual or a manual of style. A short style guide, typically ranging from several to several dozen pages, is often called a style sheet. The standards documented in a style guide are applicable either for general use, or prescribed use for an individual publication, particular organization, or specific field.

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.

Prewriting is the first stage of the writing process, typically followed by drafting, revision, editing and publishing. Prewriting can consist of a combination of outlining, diagramming, storyboarding, and clustering.

Form and Document Creation is one of the things that technical communicators do as part of creating deliverables for their companies or clients. Document design is: "the field of theory and practice aimed at creating comprehensible, persuasive and usable functional documents". These forms and documents can have many different purposes such as collecting or providing information.

References

  1. ↑ Johnson-Sheehan, Richard (2005). Technical Communication Today. Longman. ISBN   978-0-321-11764-9.
  2. ↑ Defining Technical Communication at the STC official website. Accessed 28 February 2018.
  3. 1 2 What is Technical Communications? TechWhirl. Accessed 9 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Thinking of a career in technical communication? Archived 21 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine at the ISTC official website. Last updated May 2012. Accessed 28 February 2013.
  5. ↑ Defining Technical Communication at the Tekom Europe official website. Last updated October 2015. Accessed 8 October 2015.
  6. ↑ What is Technical Communication? at the official website of the Technical Communicators Association of New Zealand. Accessed 28 February 2013.
  7. ↑ Competence Framework for Technical Communication at the Tekom Europe official website. Last updated October 2015. Accessed 8 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Malone, E. A. (December 2007). "Historical Studies of Technical Communication in the United States and England: A Fifteen-Year Retrospection and Guide to Resources". IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. 50 (4): 333–351. doi:10.1109/TPC.2007.908732. S2CID   39438169.
  9. ↑ Kimball, Miles A. (April 2016). "The Golden Age of Technical Communication". Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. 47 (3): 330–358. doi:10.1177/0047281616641927. S2CID   113266235.
  10. 1 2 3 Verhulsdonck, Gustav; Howard, Tharon; Tham, Jason (21 September 2021). "Investigating the Impact of Design Thinking, Content Strategy, and Artificial Intelligence: A "Streams" Approach for Technical Communication and User Experience". Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. 51 (4): 468–492. doi:10.1177/00472816211041951. ISSN   0047-2816. S2CID   240552938.
  11. 1 2 Baxter, Kathy; Courage, Catherine; Caine, Kelly (2015), "Acknowledgments", Understanding your Users, Elsevier, pp. xxxiii–xxxiv, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800232-2.09986-7, ISBN   9780128002322 , retrieved 7 November 2021
  12. ↑ Redish, Ginny. (30 September 2020). UX Writing - A New Role for Technical Communicators? The MasterClass in TechComm for Society for Technical Communications (Washington DC and Baltimore). [Apple podcast]. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ux-writing-a-new-role-for-technical-communicators/id1534090690?i=1000493180560
  13. ↑ Lauer, Claire; Brumberger, Eva (2016). "Technical Communication as User Experience in a Broadening Industry Landscape". Technical Communication (Washington). 63 (3): 249.
  14. 1 2 Batova, Tatiana; Clark, Dave (9 December 2014). "The Complexities of Globalized Content Management". Journal of Business and Technical Communication. 29 (2): 221–235. doi:10.1177/1050651914562472. S2CID   110090911.
  15. ↑ Solving problems in technical communication. Johnson-Eilola, Johndan., Selber, Stuart A. Chicago. 26 December 2012. ISBN   978-0-226-92406-9. OCLC   783150285.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. ↑ Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly, The Elements of Technical Writing, pg. 63. New York City: Macmillan Publishers, 1993. ISBN   0020130856
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.