Let us explore the fundamental concepts of Technical communication. There are basically three important concepts or traits of technical communication
a) Audience centered
b) Presentation
c) Responsibility
2. Specific help The reader should be able to directly navigate to a section of the document which addresses his specific need.
3. Community driven objective Technical communication occurs within a community. Writers have to determine the flow of communication after taking into account various factors such as the tone and the look of the document. Writers expect readers to act in a certain way, so the sense of community is maintained in writing.
4. Definitive purpose The information provided in the technical document should be definitive in its purpose and persuasive in its end result. The instructions contained in a technical document should give directions for using a product and back them up with cogent reasons to persuade readers to act.
b) Presentation The key aspects of presentation are as below.
1. Top-down method Technical writing should, ideally, follow the top-down method of presentation, which means that it should begin with the introduction and is later followed by the specific details of a product. The introduction helps readers to ascertain how far the document will be useful. It should provide readers with a kind of a road map to help them decide whether the document has to be read in its entirety or in segments.
2. List of headings (Table of contents) The instructions and information should be presented by listing out the contents in either an ordered list or an unordered list. Instructions of certain nature, for example, how to send a message from a cell phone, should follow the sequential pattern and hence should be an ordered list with numbers.
3. Explain headings While giving explanations to the headings as contained in list of headings, care should be taken to see that the same technical term used in the heading is repeated throughout the document. This is important to ensure that there is no room for ambiguity. There should also be rigidity in following the sequence followed in the list of headings while going ahead with their relevant explanations.
4. Provide information in chunks Explanations under different sections under each head should be in the form of chunks of message. Writing in big paragraphs is best avoided as readers tend to avoid reading big paragraphs beyond the first few sentences.
5. Use visual aids The use of visual aids can enhance the readability and value of a technical document. Visual aids generally used in technical documentation are:
7. Plain and objective language The language should be plain and simple and objective. If the writing is about how to install a software, there should not be any element of the user guide included in it.
c) Responsibility A technical writer should take the responsibility with respect to the effectiveness of the document. Readers have to be convinced enough with the instructions to take necessary actions. The presentation should be structured and designed in such a manner that it appeals as well as persuades them to act. It is also the responsibility of a tech writer to complete the document in the given time frame.
a) Audience centered
b) Presentation
c) Responsibility
a) Audience centered. The document should empower readers to act in a way that fulfills their needs. Typically, this could mean being able to explain in very simple terms how to go ahead and use a product or service. In broader terms, though, it has to encompass a structured approach that is informative and definitive. It should contain:
1. Instructions The reader is made aware of the product through, - Tips
- Warning
- Caution
- Trouble shooting
- Notes
2. Specific help The reader should be able to directly navigate to a section of the document which addresses his specific need.
3. Community driven objective Technical communication occurs within a community. Writers have to determine the flow of communication after taking into account various factors such as the tone and the look of the document. Writers expect readers to act in a certain way, so the sense of community is maintained in writing.
4. Definitive purpose The information provided in the technical document should be definitive in its purpose and persuasive in its end result. The instructions contained in a technical document should give directions for using a product and back them up with cogent reasons to persuade readers to act.
b) Presentation The key aspects of presentation are as below.
1. Top-down method Technical writing should, ideally, follow the top-down method of presentation, which means that it should begin with the introduction and is later followed by the specific details of a product. The introduction helps readers to ascertain how far the document will be useful. It should provide readers with a kind of a road map to help them decide whether the document has to be read in its entirety or in segments.
2. List of headings (Table of contents) The instructions and information should be presented by listing out the contents in either an ordered list or an unordered list. Instructions of certain nature, for example, how to send a message from a cell phone, should follow the sequential pattern and hence should be an ordered list with numbers.
3. Explain headings While giving explanations to the headings as contained in list of headings, care should be taken to see that the same technical term used in the heading is repeated throughout the document. This is important to ensure that there is no room for ambiguity. There should also be rigidity in following the sequence followed in the list of headings while going ahead with their relevant explanations.
4. Provide information in chunks Explanations under different sections under each head should be in the form of chunks of message. Writing in big paragraphs is best avoided as readers tend to avoid reading big paragraphs beyond the first few sentences.
5. Use visual aids The use of visual aids can enhance the readability and value of a technical document. Visual aids generally used in technical documentation are:
- Charts
- Diagrams
- Images/pictures
- Tables
- Graphs
- Icons
- Maps
7. Plain and objective language The language should be plain and simple and objective. If the writing is about how to install a software, there should not be any element of the user guide included in it.
c) Responsibility A technical writer should take the responsibility with respect to the effectiveness of the document. Readers have to be convinced enough with the instructions to take necessary actions. The presentation should be structured and designed in such a manner that it appeals as well as persuades them to act. It is also the responsibility of a tech writer to complete the document in the given time frame.
Thanks for sharing the really nice information .
ReplyDeleteAutomationshift_ India’s 1st CXO conference on AI & Automation | WTC Bangalore.CXOs share their vision on how they are leveraging AI + automation + machine learning to drive higher efficiencies across organizations #Automation#changes#business#technology within their companies.twbShift
Very Useful information Thank you!!
ReplyDelete#TWB_ the most effective way of #creating and #Publishing #Content. TWB_ is the home of Business + Learning + Product content for Fortune 500 technology leaders and startups alike. TWB_ transforms how Fortune 500 technology majors create, automate, repurpose, reuse and publish content. TWB_ delivers unprecedented efficiency, improves content quality, achieves faster go-to-market and crashes costs for Marketing + Learning + Product Content for enterprise customers. TWB_ Creates, Automates, Repurposes and Publishes Content.
Technical writing is the practice of documenting processes, such as software manuals or instructional materials. Traditionally, it was limited to user manuals of some sort. Technical Writing Skills – Business and Technical Communication
ReplyDelete