What is Technical Communication?
Technical communication is as diverse as our economy. We’re involved with information design, usability, quality assurance, marketing, editing, online Help authoring, instructional design, graphic & technical illustration, requirements analyses, design specifications, database & system architecture, and product guide books, for example. “Specialization” is broader than with other professions: instructional designers create and publish training materials regardless of the subject or tool used. Experienced professionals tend to be good leaders and managers, though their résumés show a succession of apparently independent, sole-writer, contracts.
Creating Content
The process of developing information products in technical communication begins with ensuring that the nature of the audience and their need for information is clearly identified. From there the technical communicator researches and structures the content into a framework that can guide the detailed development. As the information product is created, the paramount goal is ensuring that the content can be clearly understood by the intended audience and provides the information that the audience needs in the most appropriate format. (from Wikipedia)
Our profession involves many fields, including:
- Technical Writer
- Technical Editor
- Technical Illustrator
- Information Architect
- Usability
- User Interface Designer
Our profession also includes the professional, scientific, medical, and technical industries. No single individual is an expert in all areas of the profession, although there are quite a few very good generalists “out there.”
Technical Documentation and Structure
Technical communicators build structure into your documentation. Each communications venue and medium works best when structured to meet the needs and expectations of its consumers—those who read and use the content.
Consider a user’s guide and a product brochure. Those who use a user’s guide most often use it not to learn everything about an application or product, but to answer a specific question. Therefore, there's usually quite a bit of repeated information when procedures for a sub element apply to multiple functions. This allows the consumer to find the answer move quickly. If the structure forces the reader to jump back and forth, it frustrates the reader. Frustrated readers stop reading the document, removing the immediate source of their frustration but…their questions haven’t been answered.
Brochures, on the other hand, rarely repeat material. The focus and design of a brochure are different from other documents about your products or services.
Information Design & Usability
The design and implementation of your documents is almost as important as the technical design of your product. After all, your sales will be directly affected by the customers’ ability to use your product. Even if your product meets or exceeds every functional need of your customers, they have to understand its use.
A good technical communicator has the experience and skill to design your documentation to meet the needs of the audiences you anticipate for each communications product. This involves usability as well as writing and organization skills. In fact, a good technical communicator is the user’s advocate to you and your development team as well as your communicator to your consumers.