Technical Writing

Technical Writing: Introduction
A technical document, for example, a user manual, is written by a writer, who is an expert in English language and has basic understanding of the technicalities involved in the product being documented. The product mentioned here could range from a frozen vial of rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-grade Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) to a Klimov RD-33MK turbofan of a Mig-35 Fulcrum-F fighter jet. This previous sentence might sound technical and complicated enough to a first-time reader. Simplifying this complex sentence and presenting the text in a well-structured and easy-to-understand manner is the essence of technical writing.

Technical Writing: Definition

According to a Wikipedia entry, “Technical writing, a form of technical communication, is a style of formal writing used in fields as diverse as computer hardware and software, chemistry, the aerospace industry, robotics, finance, consumer electronics, and biotechnology. Technical writers explain technology and related ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.”
The basic principles of technical communication are same as those of general communication, except for the technical aspects that are presented in an understandable and simple manner.
Technical writing is one of the three branches of Technical Communication.

Technical Writing: Importance

In the recent past, views regarding the importance of technical writing and technical authors were conflicting. In his article, “The death of the Technical Author?", William Birn stated that “Technical Authors do not have high prominence in the workplace, and they don’t have the best of images…some wonder whether the role of the Technical Author will disappear.” In contrast, a brochure produced by Society for Technical Communication (STC) suggests that “because technology is everywhere in our world, technical communication has become one of the fastest growing professions—a profession that offers a variety of career options”.
The scenario at present is tilted in favor of technical writing. The Obama administration has recently acknowledged and recognized technical writing as a distinct profession. This is a crucial development that supports the idea that technical writing is a vital component of any industry.
Without documentation, it will be exceedingly difficult to follow the logical flow of events in a process. Technical Writing is also an integral part of the Content Management System (CMS).
A well-written document enhances the business of a company. Any form of document–known as a deliverable in the technical-writing industry–including brochures, pamphlets, reports, white papers, and case studies, acts as a written proof of the company’s commitment and effort towards its product. It is the first thing a potential customer or business client wants to read or see; and similar to any other scenario, the first impression matters in this context too.

Technical Writing: Key Steps

According to the Handbook of Technical Writing, 6th Edition (Alfred et al), the main steps involved in writing a technical document are:
1. Preparation
The importance of this step is as follows:
• Establishing the purpose of the document
• Assessing the audience
• Determining the scope of the document
2. Research
Why is research such an important aspect of technical writing?
• Before documenting, technical writers must entirely understand the subject that needs to be documented.
• Research (in any form, for example, internet) plays an imperative role in developing this understanding.
3. Organization
A poorly organized document, although well written, is of no importance. Hence, following an organization scheme and then creating an outline of the project helps in effective documentation.
4. Writing a draft
Once the outline is ready, the next step is expansion of the outline into paragraphs. The writer completes the complete document using the outline as a base.
5. Review
This is probably the longest and most significant step of the complete documentation process. The manuscript/draft should be first reviewed by the author, followed by a peer review, and finally edited by a professional editor.
Consequently, we can see that each of the steps mentioned above is a rate- and quality-deciding factor in itself.

Technical Writing: Documents
There are several types of technical documents that are regularly being generated by the technical writers. Technical documents can be classified broadly as:
o Technical Documents (for example, reports)
o Marketing Collaterals (for example, brochures)
o Business Writings (for example, white papers)
o E-business Writings (for example, online helps)
Given below is an extensive list of documents, called as deliverables, which are created by technical writers
• Advertising Copies
• Analytical Reports
• Annual Reports
• Application Notes/Briefs
• Architectural Overviews/Specs
• Benchmark Documents
• Brochures
• Bulletins
• Case Studies
• Datasheets
• Design Guides
• Design Specs
• E-learning Kits
• Electronic Design Kits
• Flyers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Functional Specs
• Employee Handbooks
• Installation Guides
• Laboratory Reports
• Marketing Scripts
• Notices
• Online Helps
• Online Tutorials
• Pamphlets
• Policy Manuals
• Press Releases
• Process Manuals
• Proposals
• Quick Reference Manuals
• Quick-Start Guides
• Reports
• Scientific Reports
• Service Manuals
• Training Materials
• Troubleshooting Manuals
• User Manuals
• White-papers

Technical Writing: Domains
Technical writing has a strong foothold in several spheres. Mostly, technical writing has been associated with the software domain that requires large volumes of technical documentation. This is a reason why most of the job openings for technical writing are in the software companies. However, apart from the software domain, there are other domains that employ technical writers. These are:

• Aerospace
• Banking/Finance
• Biotechnology
• Chemistry
• Electronics/Very large-scale integration
• Engineering
• Government
• Hardware/networking
• Large-scale constructions
• Medicine
• Non-government organization
• Pharmaceuticals
• Publishing
• Software

Technical Writing: Industries
Technical writing, being the highly versatile field it is, finds its application in most of the critical industries

Technical Writing: Growth Opportunities

Career path of a Technical Writer
A self-explanatory figure (see Figure 1) displays the titles/designations for technical writer at various levels of hierarchy. The entry level is that of the Technical Writer, whereas the highest post is that of the Knowledge Manager. Some companies even have Documentation Director as the highest ranking post in this field.
Job Trends
The job opportunities for technical writers have increased by 27% in United States, even in the times of severe recession. It has been a recession-free career option. The future for technical writing, especially in India, will be something to look forward to because its start has already been promising.