Training Writers to Design and Write Short Documents for Nonspecialists  

A group of technical writing students wrote a series of explanations for twelve-year-old readers. I studied these documents to discover the features preferred by the young readers. Among the characteristics favored by the readers were the following: the use of headings; narrative structure; unfamiliar terms limited to a few, each followed by a brief definition in the text; white space and uncrowded text; large, readable typefaces; and some simple illustrations. These same features are likely to appeal to adult nonspecialists when reading about unfamiliar technical material and are particularly recommended to technical writers when writing to a nonspecialist audience.

Connors, Patricia E. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing

Transition: Technical Writer to Technical Writing Teacher

The transition from being a technical writer to becoming a Visiting Professor of Technical Communication has meant, so far, that 1) I work a whole lot more, and 2) I finally have a chance to see the effect of the things that we create on the user. My students have helped me to do this.

Johnson, Carol Siri. MetroVoice (2002). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing

Transitioning from Technical Writing into Usability

In this podcast, I talk with Theresa Putkey, a usability consultant in Vancouver, about how she transitioned from technical writing into usability.

Johnson, Tom H. and Theresa Putkey. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Usability>Technical Writing>Podcasts

Translation and the Technical Writer

As more companies sell in the global market and recognize the importance of customer service and satisfaction, they are beginning to realize the importance of translating software and documentation into foreign languages. Once your own company realizes that it needs to translate its documentation, to whom will it turn for project management? You, of course. The technical writer is in an ideal position to control the translation of documentation and the textual element of software.

Tunsley, Roger A. Boston Broadside (1993). Articles>Language>Translation>Technical Writing

The Truth about Technical Writing    

In view of the contradiction that surrounds the term, perhaps the distinction of technical writing from other forms is as much emotional as actual.

Grossberg, Kathryn Milner. English Journal, The (1978). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Emotions

Try a Hand at Technical Writing

Simplifying the jargon associated with any particular product or process is the key function of technical writers.

Kerala Education. Articles>Writing>Technical Writing

Two Approaches to Modularity: Comparing the STOP Approach with Structured Writing  

The first time I heard of the STOP paper was sometime in the mid 80's when the historian of technical writing, John Brockman, phoned me to ask if my Information Mapping method of structured writing derived from the STOP method. At the time I told Brockman that there was no direct relationship between our two approaches since I'd never read the paper. When the editor of this journal sent me the STOP document in preparation for writing this paper, I read it with delight. Although our two innovations date from the same period, the STOP authors and I were working in two completely different disciplines, cultures, organizations, and locations. These two approaches resulted in modularity - albeit of quite different kinds. The main purpose of this project is to compare and contrast these two approaches to modularity. I should note here that I approach this article principally as an exercise in historical comparison, rather than as an exposition of my current views, about which I will say a bit at the end of this article.

Horn, Robert E. Journal of Computer Documentation (1999). Articles>Information Design>Technical Writing>History

"Unattached" Clauses in Technical Writing    

The views concerning "dangling participles" of grammarians, usage experts and authors of books on technical writing are reviewed and compared. Although many unattached clauses are clearly unacceptable, some are less objectionable and still others are acceptable practice. Absolute constructions and other clause-relational participial, infinitival and verbless clauses need no attachment to a proximate noun or noun phrase, and logical clauses that are not attached to a noun are shown as normal, acceptable use. Even clearly adjectival clauses are often unattached when followed by the passive voice, intransitives and several other grammatical structures; clauses between the subject and verb and at the end of the sentence are also often not attached to the immediately preceding noun. Cultural (perhaps also gender) differences between humanistic teachers and task-oriented engineers are noted as possible causes of different viewpoints regarding the use of unattached participles, and greater acceptance of the many acceptable forms of unattached clauses is argued. <em>Suggested Reading Approach</em> The first three sections (on principles, authoritative views and theoretical background) could be skimmed if you are already familiar with the background.

Jordan, Michael P. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (1999). Articles>Writing>Grammar>Technical Writing

Understand Film Language: An Introduction for Technical Communicators  

The techniques of film language areas important to video and multimedia presentations as the techniques of written language are to technical documentation. Film language consists of such components as shot content, frame composition, camera movement, color (or shade), lighting, and film transitions. Film transitions are the way in which shots and sequences are connected and carry specific semantic weight for the viewer. However for many technical video-makers, the meanings of film transitions are overlooked in favor of flashy presentations or are abused to cover a problem. In developing videos for training or informational purposes, we should respect and understand the significance of film transitions and other aspects of film language.

Tillman, Michael A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Multimedia>Visual Rhetoric>Technical Writing

User Assistance: Writing for a High-Context Culture

What we consider to be good technical writing often reflects an American cultural perspective. One facet of this cultural orientation is that technical writing tends to use a low-context style. Most notably, we tend to write user assistance as if users have never seen the user interface we are explaining. Secondly, we tend to write user assistance as if users have never even used software before. But users rarely go to Help before they have tried to accomplish a task on their own first, and most users today have extensive experience using software and are familiar with the standard ways of interacting with user interfaces. So a user interface is a high-context artifact—one a user has already seen before reading our documentation and that uses rules and conventions the user already knows.

Hughes, Michael A. UXmatters (2008). Articles>Documentation>Help>Technical Writing

Users' Documentation Preferences

At a user group meeting in 2007, TechScribe researched users' experiences of the software documentation that they receive. Do they prefer online or printed documentation? Do they read the manual, or do they call the help desk? How important is background information? Which is more useful, a 'how to' user guide or a reference manual? Do people prefer explanations using visuals, descriptions, or a combination? Read the survey to find the answers (we obtained 29 responses from 64 attendees).

Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2007). Articles>Documentation>Audience Analysis>Technical Writing

Using Humor in the Technical Writing Classroom    

Humor in the classroom is about engagement and involvement. Learn some new techniques to use and when to tread carefully.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing

Using Personas to Create User Documentation

Personas and other user-modeling techniques are often solely discussed as tools for product definition and design, but they are useful tools in other arenas, as well. Technical writers responsible for creating user documentation can benefit greatly from a well-defined persona set, too.

Calde, Steve. Cooper Interaction Design (2005). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Personas

Using the Triage Method in Technical Writing

Pragmatism is the necessary first step: do the best job you can do under the conditions. Nobody's going to benefit if you do a superb job on half the manual, then die of stress before you can document the important parts in the second half.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Geoff-Hart.com (1999). Articles>Project Management>Writing>Technical Writing

The Value of Linguistics to Technical Authors in a Digital World    

This article aims to expound the importance of a knowledge of linguistics and the theories of human language to a technical author. Linguistics is often seen as a specialised branch of language for language experts. When technical authors communicate, they do need the tools of linguistics to handle the rhetorical grammar and patterns of technical prose. The linguistic features and semanics involved in technical writing also become relevant, as is visual and graphic representation.

Poon Teng Fatt, James. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2000). Articles>Language>Linguistics>Technical Writing

Veteran Neophyte: Confessions of a Veteran Technical Writer

I've been a technical writer long enough to have learned a few trade secrets, if you will, that guide me in my daily work and (sometimes, I hope) help me to do it a little better. Whether you're reading manuals for content, working with technical writers to document your own software, or even writing documentation yourself, understanding these secrets might be of value to you. I've long had it in mind to write a book about these and other topics, sort of a general discourse on technical thought and how to do it better. Until I actually write that book, however, the following confessions will have to do. These confessions should help you understand some of the tasks that some technical writers typically perform and some of the conflicting forces that shape final documents. (Note the profusion of the word some: your mileage may vary.) For fun -- and for another reason that I won't tell you yet -- each confession is introduced by an appropriate palindrome (a word or phrase that reads the same forward and backward).

Monroe, Tim. MacTech (1996). Articles>Documentation>Writing>Technical Writing

A Virtual Conversation on Bernadette Longo's Spurious Coin: A History of Science, Management, and Technical Writing    

A collection of responses to Bernadette Longo's Spurious Coin.

Gaskill, David, Mary Been, Margaret N. Hundleby and Pete Praetorius. Journal of Computer Documentation (2001). Articles>Management>Scientific Communication>Technical Writing

Visual Verbs: Showing Change, Movement, Force and Action in Procedural Graphics  

Procedural graphics can use several techniques to show changes over time. Arrows, before-and-after views, ghosting of objects and other static techniques can operate as visual verbs that imply dynamic processes. We suggest several means for reducing users' ambiguity in interpreting visual verbs.

Sharp, Michael V. and Robert Krull. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Technical Illustration

War Stories of a Technical Writer  

Working as a consultant in technical communication has led to a number of interesting assignments. These assignments range from developing a computer program for displaying index information for six volumes of data on global warming to occupying an office across the street from the White House while writing an environmental document for the Executive Office of the President.

O'Hara, Frederick M., Jr. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing

Weaving in the Cultural Context

If you are reading this you’re probably responsible for preparing print, electronic, or visual materials for a client base that is marketing, selling, informing, and/or teaching in another part of the world. If that doesn't exactly describe you at this moment, it will be part of your job description in the future.

Winters, Elaine. Indus (2002). Articles>Writing>Cultural Theory>Technical Writing

Web Application Maps Business Opportunities

A technical writer develops a way to help a government contractor uncover procurement opportunities -- and in the process discovers a new opportunity for himself as an information profit center.

Montague Institute Review (1998). Articles>Knowledge Management>Information Design>Technical Writing

What a Technical Writer Writes

he range of writing a technical writer performs varies widely. Much is dependent on the technical specialty of the writer and of the needs of the company. You may find yourself a part of one large project, or overseeing dozens of smaller projects. You might write manuals, articles, proposals, white papers, product descriptions or any of a hundred other types of documents.

Hewitt, John. Writer's Resource Center (2004). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Technical Writing

What an Autistic Child Taught Me About Technical Writing

A blog post about what one technical communicator learned about his craft from dealing with his autistic child.

DMN Communications (2008). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Blogs

What Are The Benefits Of Outsourcing Your Technical Writing To India?

If you're not sure whether to trust a technical writing service with your valuable documentation or not, then you can just hire the technical writing service for a small project and see how it works out for both of you.

SearchWarp (2002). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>India

What Fiction Writing Taught Me about Technical Writing

How writing fiction can benefit technical writers.

Wenger, Andrea. Carolina Communique (2008). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing