Nature of Technical Writing

Nature of Technical Writing

 Technical-writing introduce you to some of the most important aspects of writing in the world of science, technology, and business²in other words, the kind of writing that scientists, nurses, doctors, computer specialists, government officials,engineers, and other such people do as a part of their regular work.To learn how to write effectively for the world of work, you'll study common types of reports, special format items such as lists and headings, simple techniques for putting graphics into reports, and some techniques for producing professional-looking final copy.However, the focus for technical-writing is not necessarily career as a technical writer but an introduction to the kinds of writing skills you need in practically any technically oriented professional job. No matter what sort of professional work you do, you're likely to do lots of writing²and much of it technical in nature. The more you know about some basic technical-writing skills, which are covered in this guide and in technical-writing courses, the better job of writing you're likely to do. And that will be good for the projects you work on, for the organizations you work in, and²most of all²good for you and your career.

Introduction

Technical Writing is compiling information effectively with reference to a context for a specific user.

A Technical Writer prepares clear, concise written documentation which explain technical communication (technical information) of a product or software to a target user. A good Technical Writer should have strong communication skills (both verbal and written), can effectively gather information, and develop content with the user in mind.

The bulk of Technical Writer’s career involves work in the Information Technology industry. Technical Writers are asked to create user guides, tutorials for software applications, online help documents.

In the manufacturing industry, many Technical Writers create documents for setting up, operating, and troubleshooting consumer products, mostly electronic devices. An overview of the product is given and a Technical Writer compiles information and creates documents for the consumers which are clear and concise. These documents also contain illustrations to clarify the written content.

Scope of Technical Writing

Technical Writers are also employed as:

Medical Writers: They work with doctors and scientists and create documents that clarify research results and medical procedures. The need is ever increasing due to the constant developments in the medical and scientific world.

Health Writers: They create articles and develop articles on the health and fitness trends for consumers. They are mostly employed in large organizations.

Policy Writers:  They create and document company policies. Although not many create and document policies, there are a few who do it. Mostly Policy Writers are involved in translating policies and procedures in a way best understood by the company employees.

Thus, Technical Writing has a varied scope in different business environments across globe, which in turn is creating a need of employing Technical Writers, worldwide.

Characteristics of Technical Writing

 Technical writing presents and explains a subject matter in a clear, objective, accurate, concise, and unemotional manner.Technical writing uses a relatively high concentration of certain complex and important writing techniques particularlydescription of a mechanism, description of process, clarification, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, analogy andinterpretation.Technical writing highly utilizes technical vocabulary. It utilizes tables, graphs and figures to clarify and support textualdiscussion. It uses the conventional report forms.

Purpose of Technical Writing

 The following are the primary purposes of technical writing.

1. To inform

 It is written to make another person understand or to do something. It is designed to fulfill a need to tell and a need toknow.

2 . To analyze events and their implications

 It will explain how certain systems failed. This system may include education, socioeconomic, political and the neededchange.

3. To persuade and influence decisions

 It will show how a business or an industry succeeds.Technical writing is ideally characterized by the maintenance of impartiality and objectivity, by extreme care to conveyinformation accurately and concisely and by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotions.

Functions of Technical Writing

 1. To serve as a basis for management decision

2. To furnish needed information.

3. To give instructions

4. To explain techniques

5. To report achievements

6. To analyze problem areas

7. To determine design and system requirements

8. To serve as a basis for public relation

9. To provide report to stockholders of companies

10. To develop a product

11. To provide service

12. To record business through proposals

13. To procure business through proposals

Basic Principles of Good Technical Writing

 1. Understanding the reader 2. Knowing the purpose of each article or report3. Knowing the subject matter 4. Writing objectively5. Using correct format6. Adopting ethical standards

Understanding the Reader 

  A basic consideration in technical writing is to know the target audience. The technical writer should know how to adapthis writings and terminologies of the type of the intended audience or readers. Difficult technical terms used must becarefully defined so that the reader will easily understand the information being presented. If the reader fails to understandwhat he reads, the writer fails in his mission. The technical writers should know how important his readers are. The targetreaders help the writer to know what to write about and how to write it.

Knowing the Purpose of Each Technical Report

 The technical paper must be organized around a central theme. The reader should understand the main purpose after reading the paper. The purpose maybe is to describe a thing, to report on a specific problem or project, or to analyze andsolve a problem.

Knowing the Subject Matter 

  A technical writer must have a thorough knowledge of the subject he is to write about. If the report is on the result of atechnical experiment, the writer who writes the report should explain what the problem is all about, what causes theproblem and how the problem is solved.

Writing Objectively

  A good technical writer must emphasize the facts and the data. The impersonal style is basic to an effective technicalwriter. He represents facts, figures and statistics skillfully woven around the subject matter or central theme and written inan impersonal manner