#19529
The Benefits of a Job Well Done 
A parable about the lives of a high-tech technical writing team. Ken puts his twenty-five years as a technical writer to good use in this fictional work about four people hired to write manuals for Xoom-tek. In the chapter excerpted, Ken takes a humorous look at RIFs and downsizings.
Wisman, Ken. TECHWR-L (2003). Humor>Documentation>Software
#24008
Technical writing sounds like the ideal job.
Dyen, Natalie Zellat. NatalieWritings. Humor>Writing>Documentation
#25807
Some people ask me about the frustrations and difficulties involved in the business of technical documentation. As a reply, I tell them this joke.
Documentia (2003). Humor>Documentation>Writing>Technical Writing
#11754
I open my usability presentations with this true story: I was given a large, frozen turkey a few years ago. When it came time to prepare the turkey, I placed it on a kitchen counter to let the turkey thaw.
Thomas, Joyce. Usability Interface (2001). Humor>Documentation
#14662
The TC Team: Our Very Own Superheroes
Leavitt imagines how easy writing documentation would be with the help of technical communication superheroes who fix grammar, translate technobabble, and extend deadlines.
Leavitt, Loralee. Intercom (2000). Humor>Documentation>Writing
#24289
A Technical Writer's Chicken Soup Recipe
This is my humble attempt to write a recipe in software manual style. The recipe makes store-bought canned chicken soup -- any brand -- taste almost as good as homemade.
Citron, David H. TechWriter.info. Humor>Documentation>Technical Writing
#21665
A story about testing the stability of airplane windshields from collisions with birds.
TC-FORUM (2002). Humor>Documentation>Engineering
#12946
Did you know that some people think technical writers make too much money? Discuss it as much as you like, but one thing remains certain: Until engineers can figure out that 'I/O' is 'on,' we writers will continue to pull down the big bucks.
#11761
A list of problems allegedly noted by U. S. Air Force pilots and left for maintenance crews to fix before the next flight, plus the replies from the maintenance crews.
#11760
Questionable warnings and instructions from all over the world.
#21141
Worst Manual Contest: 2001 Winners
The winner, four runner-ups, and an honorable mention for the 2001 'worst manual' competition.
Worst Manual Contest (2001). Humor>Documentation
#21142
Worst Manual Contest: 2002 Winners
The winner, four runner-ups, and an honorable mention for the 2002 'worst manual' competition.
Worst Manual Contest (2002). Humor>Documentation
#21143
Worst Manual Contest: 2003 Winners
The winner, four runner-ups, and an honorable mention for the 2003 'worst manual' competition.
Worst Manual Contest (2003). Humor>Documentation
#27525
Worst Manual Contest: 2004 Winners
The 'winner', a runner-up, and two honorable mentions for the 2004 'worst manual' competition.
#27524
Worst Manual Contest: 2005 Winners
The 'winner' for the 2005 'worst manual' competition.
Worst Manual Contest (2005). Humor>Documentation
#32778
Technical Documentation: How It Really Gets Written
The technical writing process: 1. Ask engineer how the damn thing works. 2. Deafening silence.
Cherryleaf (2008). Humor>Documentation>Writing>Technical Writing
#34270
By having consumers perform furniture assembly themselves, Ikea is able to both lower costs and slowly drive their customers insane. To be fair, Ikea assembly instructions are not that bad. They brilliantly only use pictures, which are clearer than text and require no translation. Still, recognizing that some people may still have difficulty understanding them, I offer this handy explanation of some typical Ikea instructions that came with a bookshelf I recently bought.
Tech Writer's World, A (2009). Humor>Documentation>Technical Illustration
