Technical Writing is one of the emerging fields that have recently formed a part of Information Technology especially in country like India. You would find only a few Technical Writers in a particular organization as compared to the developers and testers. In such circumstances it is quite obvious for one to have a quest as to what this new emerging field is all about ?
There are numerous questions that might come up………What Technical Writers do? What is their role in an organization? Do they only write?…This could go on………
However, to start with here are answers to some basic questions which you might want to know.
What is Technical Writing and what do they do?
This was the first question that I came up when I was looking for a career option as a Technical Writer. At that time there were very few who knew about it…Some had heard about it but hardly anyone had an idea about the kind of job being done by a Technical Writer…So with all confusions I resorted to the Web.
I was all clueless and I began searching till I got to the end. However, when I actually started working as a Technical Writer, the reality was so much different from what I had anticipated.
Here is what I thought! Ok since from the very job title of it makes it clear that it should be some writing about technical docs like user guides, quick guides, online help, etc.
The conclusion which I drew was if I am good in writing, I could be a good Technical Writer. Of course, you should be good in writing. No doubt about it. But there are too many string attached to it. Technical Writer was no cakewalk!
A Technical Writer basically should be a good communicator.
Communicator = good in (writing + speaking + listening + absorbing information +expressing. information).
I know the above expression might be a bit confusing but you will sink in slowly as you divulge into this domain. Communication does not just mean receiving and delivering information but rather receiving and imparting information effectively. That is why I would prefer myself being called as a Technical Communicator rather than Technical writer. That makes more sense to me.
Coming to the question, Technical Writers are those people in the organization whose job is to receive and collect information from developers, testers or any other sources, regarding a product or services. They then integrate them to form the best information, convert it into a language (or information) that could be best understood by the user and present it in the most efficient way.
What kind of document Technical Writers work on?
So, all the user guides, quick guides, technical docs or online help that you see all over the places, are prepared by people like us. And these are not the only things that we do. The horizon and broadness of Technical Writing are more than these.
The job description of a Technical Writer varies from organization to organization. In one organization, you may be an Instructional Designer, create content, brochures, proposals, etc while in the other a Technical Writer’s job would restrict them to just writing user guides or quick guides.
The good thing about this field is there is no end to your learning curve and you could expand your learning at any period of time.
To give you an idea, here is a comprehensive list of what a Technical Writer prepares:
- User Guides
- Quick Guides
- Online help
Apart from the above, a Technical Writer can also prepare:
- Brochures
- Proposals.
- Technical docs
- API’s
- Training docs/e-learning, etc.
How things work out with a Technical Writer?
So, that you have an outline in your mind, let me give you an example of how things work out with a technical writer.
A product is being developed by a developer and then subsequently tested by a tester. This is already known by most of the people. Now comes the Technical Writers whose job is to prepare documentation about the product which includes explanation about the product, the terms used in the product, the procedural steps to carry out a task, troubleshooting, etc.
The most important job for a Technical Writer is to ensure that they provide accurate information because documents are like road maps. Whenever an end user is stuck or lost, they are always going to refer to it. Giving incorrect information creates a very bad impression about the quality delivered to them. At many times, a technical writer is asked to document a product as and when a product is being developed. So the hierarchy keeps changing according to the product developed. It also changes according to the process followed within an organization.
Also read: Documentation Review: Tips for Proofreading
By now, you must have easily derived that Technical Writing is not all about writing. An added advantage is a good understanding of the latest technology. Besides, as your experience grows in the industry, the other skill sets required are also enhanced.
My only suggestion would be to keep on learning new technology along with your communication.
Happy Learning!