Tag: technical-writing
13 articles tagged technical-writing.
- Content creation
The technical writer creates the content of the technical writing project in constant dialogue with the company's various stakeholders, such as R&D and marketing.
- Delivery
Delivery is the final step: validated content reaches its audiences through the format and channel chosen at project definition, from animations and brochures to newsletters, website updates, and printed or PDF guides.
- Formats and tools
When industrializing technical writing, the format matters more than the tool. Compare proprietary formats like Word and FrameMaker against open standards like DITA XML and DocBook to find the right fit.
- From technical writing to technical communication
Technical communication is often reduced to technical writing. Technical writing provides product documentation and sits downstream of the sale.
- Gathering information
How technical writers gather information: expert interviews, product testing, existing documentation, and field observations to build accurate and useful content.
- Is an index useful in a PDF?
Is an index still useful in a PDF manual in the age of full-text search? Explore the pros and cons for technical documentation and help content usability.
- KISS Principle of Simplicity
The KISS principle (Keep it simple stupid) is a general engineering principle that advocates simplicity to improve reliability, maintenance and scalability.
- Project definition
Define your technical documentation project before writing: identify the audience, scope, deliverables, and success criteria to guide the entire editorial process.
- Source format
Word processors have unaccustomed us to distinguishing between form and content. But confusing the two leads to many errors and wasted time.
- Target format
The target format is what end users consume - PDF, HTML, or compiled help - generated from a single source. Learn the difference between fully automatic, semi-automatic, and manual publishing.
- Testing products to document them
A technical writer must test the product in real user conditions before documenting it, not merely compile what stakeholders say - cutting through their partial views and the information loss that undermines accuracy.
- The three levels of technical documentation
Compare the three maturity levels of technical documentation - from informal notes to modular structured content - and see what sets each stage apart.
- Validation and quality control
Validate technical documentation before delivery: run validation in parallel with writing, track every change request through a CMS workflow or a ticketing system, and use comparison tools to review updates reliably.