A technical writer is a professional communicator whose task is to convey complex information in simple terms to an audience of the general public or a very select group of readers. Technical writers research and create information through a variety of delivery media (electronic, printed, audio-visual, and even touch). In most organizations, a technical writer serves as a trained expert in technical writing and not as an expert in their field of employment. This, of course, does not mean technical writers aren't expected to have, at the very least, a basic understanding of their subject matter. Technical writers generally acquire necessary industry terminology and field or product knowledge on the job, through working with Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) and their own internal document research.

In larger organizations, a technical writer often works as a member of a technical writing team, but may also work independently at smaller organizations and in select roles where workloads are focused. Examples of popular technical writing include online help, manuals, white papers, design specifications, project plans, and software test plans. With the rise of e-learning, technical writers are increasingly hired to develop online training material to assist users.

According to the Society for Technical Communication (STC): In other words, technical writers take advanced technical concepts and communicate them as clearly, accurately, and comprehensively as possible to their intended audience, ensuring that the work is accessible to its users.

Kurt Vonnegut described technical writers as:

Engineers, scientists, and other professionals may also be involved in technical writing (developmental editing, proofreading, etc.), but are more likely to employ professional technical writers to develop, edit and format material, and follow established review procedures as a means delivering information to their audiences.

History

According to the Society for Technical Communication (STC), the professions of technical communication and technical writing were first referenced around World War I, Although it was not until 1951 that the first "Help Wanted: Technical Writer" ad was published. In fact, the title "Technical Writer" was not added to the US Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Employment Handbook until 2010. During the 1940s and 50s, technical communicators and writers were hired to produce documentation for the military, often including detailed instructions on new weaponry. Other technical communicators and writers were involved in developing documentation for new technologies that were developed around this time. According to O'Hara:

Since the early days of the profession, technical writers have worked in teams with a pool of other technical writers. To this day, most organizations still employ a team to produce and edit technical writing for an assigned product or service. As a member of a team, technical writers work independently to research their assignments. Regular one-on-one meetings with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and internal research references (e.g., mechanical drawings, specifications, BOMs, datasheets, etc.) provide the technical writer with the necessary checks to ensure a document's accuracy. Once the accuracy of a document has been reviewed and approved by the assigned SME, technical writers rely on their writing team to provide peer reviews. The peer review focuses exclusively on content format, style, and grammar standardization. The goal of the team's peer reviews are to ensure an organization's technical writing "speaks with one voice".

During World War II, one of the most important characteristics for technical writers was their ability to follow stringent government specifications for documents.

The User Experience Professionals Association defines UX as “Every aspect of the user’s interaction with a product, service, or company that make up the user’s perception of the whole.” Therefore, “user experience design as a discipline is concerned with all the elements that together make up that interface, including layout, visual design, text, brand, sound, and interaction."

UX design is a product of both technical communication and the user identity. Effective UX design is configured to maximize usability according to unique user backgrounds, in a process called design ethnography. Design ethnography closely analyzes user culture through interviews and usability tests, in which the technical writer directly immerses themself in the user environment and gathers UX information from local users.

Skill set

Technical writers must have a solid understanding of popular style guides, language, writing, research and revisioning. Additional skills often include:

  • Business analysis
  • CAD wireframe rendering
  • Computer scripting
  • Content management
  • Content design
  • Illustration/graphic design
  • Indexing
  • Information architecture
  • Information design
  • Localization/technical translation
  • Teamwork
  • Training
  • E-learning
  • User interfaces
  • Video editing
  • Website design/management
  • Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
  • Usability testing
  • Problem solving
  • User experience design

A technical writer is never assigned the role of subject-matter expert (SME) by design. Instead, technical writers are assigned a narrow responsibility to provide a standardized format, grammar, and style. An engineer or scientist is generally assigned the separate role of subject-matter expert (SME). During a product's research and development phase, SMEs collect data and build outlines that will eventually be handed off to a technical writer for reference. The relationship relies on SME accuracy to work. When provided accurate information, a technical writer can then standardize the content to ensure the final document is clearly written and grammatically correct.

Characteristics

Proficient technical writers have the ability to create, assimilate, and convey technical material in a concise and effective manner. They may specialize in a particular area but must have a good understanding of the products they describe.

Technical writers gather information from many sources. Their information sources are usually scattered throughout an organization, which can range from developers to marketing departments.

According to Markel, useful technical documents are measured by eight characteristics: "honesty, clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, accessibility, conciseness, professional appearance, and correctness." Technical writers are focused on using their careful research to create effective documents that meet these eight characteristics.

Roles and functions

To create effective technical documentation, the writer must analyze three elements that comprise the rhetorical situation of a particular project: audience, purpose, and context. These are followed by document design, which determines what the reader sees.

Audience analysis

Technical writers strive to simplify complex concepts or processes to maximize reader comprehension. The final goal of a particular document is to help readers find what they need, understand what they find, and use what they understand appropriately. To reach this goal, technical writers must understand how their audiences use and read documentation. An audience analysis at the outset of a document project helps define what an audience for a particular document requires.

When analyzing an audience the technical writer typically asks:

Methodology (document development life cycle)

To create a technical document, a technical writer must understand the subject, purpose, and audience. They gather information by studying existing material, interviewing SMEs, and often actually using the product. They study the audience to learn their needs and technical understanding level.

A technical publication's development life cycle typically consists of five phases, coordinated with the overall product development plan:

  • Phase 1: Information gathering and planning
  • Phase 2: Content specification
  • Phase 3: Content development and implementation
  • Phase 4: Production
  • Phase 5: Evaluation

The document development life cycle typically consists of six phases (This changes organization to organization, how they are following).

  1. Audience profiling (identify target audience)
  2. User task analysis (analyze tasks and information based on the target audience)
  3. Information architecture (design based on analysis, how to prepare document)
  4. Content development (develop/prepare the document)
  5. Technical and editorial reviews (review with higher level personnel—managers, etc.)
  6. Formatting and publishing (publish the document).

This is similar to the software development life cycle.

Well-written technical documents usually follow formal standards or guidelines. Technical documentation comes in many styles and formats, depending on the medium and subject area. Printed and online documentation may differ in various ways, but still adhere to largely identical guidelines for prose, information structure, and layout. Usually, technical writers follow formatting conventions described in a standard style guide. In the US, technical writers typically use The Associated Press Stylebook or the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). Many companies have internal corporate style guides that cover specific corporate issues such as logo use, branding, and other aspects of corporate style. The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications is typical of these.

Engineering projects, particularly defense or aerospace-related projects, often follow national and international documentation standards—such as ATA100 for civil aircraft or S1000D for civil and defense platforms.

Environment

Technical writers often work as part of a writing or project development team. Typically, the writer finishes a draft and passes it to one or more SMEs who conduct a technical review to verify accuracy and completeness. Another writer or editor may perform an editorial review that checks conformance to styles, grammar, and readability. This person may request for clarification or make suggestions. In some cases, the writer or others test the document on audience members to make usability improvements. A final production typically follows an inspection checklist to ensure the quality and uniformity of the published product.

The physical working environment of most company-employed technical writers typically entails an open office with desktop computers and individual desks. A technical writer's workspace is largely dependent on their industry. A 2018 Intercom census of mostly American technical communicators showed that the majority of respondents worked in technology and IT. Prevalence of various industries in technical writing is correlated to geographic location, and the industries that are most common in certain regions of the world. A study of technical communication careers in Europe showed that the majority of technical communicators work in IT.

Remote Work during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

In the wake of the stay-at-home suggestions from the World Health Organization in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employees around the world experienced a shift in work environment from in-person to remote and/or virtual. As of 2023, after social distancing policies have been loosened, many organizations have decided to maintain the option for employees to work remotely. In the particular case of professional technical writers, this change forces an alternative approach to communication with subject matter experts, colleagues, and project managers who are directly involved in the technical communication process. Employees who work remotely typically rely on virtual, at times asynchronous, communication with collaborators, and spend working hours either at home or in an isolated office.

Career growth

There is no single standard career path for technical writers, but they may move into project management over other writers. A writer may advance to a senior technical writer position, handling complex projects or a small team of writers and editors. In larger groups, a documentation manager might handle multiple projects and teams.

Technical writers may also gain expertise in a particular technical domain and branch into related forms, such as software quality analysis or business analysis. A technical writer who becomes a subject matter expert in a field may transition from technical writing to work in that field. Technical writers commonly produce training for the technologies they document—including classroom guides and e-learning—and some transition to specialize as professional trainers and instructional designers.

Technical writers with expertise in writing skills can join printed media or electronic media companies, potentially providing an opportunity to make more money or improved working conditions.

In April 2021, the U.S Department of Labor expected technical writer employment to grow seven percent from 2019 to 2029, slightly faster than the average for all occupations. They expect job opportunities, especially for applicants with technical skills, to be good. The BLS also noted that the expansion of "scientific and technical products" and the need for technical writers to work in "Web-based product support" will drive increasing demand.

As of May 2022, the average annual pay for a freelance technical writer in the United States is $70,191 according to ZipRecruiter.

Notable technical writers

  • Ted Chiang, American author of short stories including Story of Your Life (1998) and The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate (2007), was a technical writer in the software industry as late as July 2002.
  • William Gaddis, author of J R (1975) and A Frolic of His Own (1994), was employed as a technical writer for a decade and a half for such companies as Pfizer and Eastman Kodak after the poor reception of his first novel, The Recognitions (1955).
  • Gordon Graham, an expert on white papers and former writing professor.
  • Michael Halvorson, American technology writer and historian, is a university professor and the author of 40 books related to computer programming, using PC software, and the history of technology.
  • Dan Jones, university professor and a fellow of the Society for Technical Communication.
  • Chuck Palahniuk, American author of Fight Club, worked as a diesel mechanic and automotive technical writer prior to his career as a novelist.
  • Robert M. Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (ZAMM) (1974), wrote technical manuals for IBM while working on the bestselling book.
  • Thomas Pynchon, American author of The Crying of Lot 49 (1966), Gravity's Rainbow (1973), and Mason & Dixon (1997), among others, wrote his first novel, V. (1963), while employed as a technical writer for Boeing from 1960 to 1963.
  • George Saunders, American author of Tenth of December: Stories (2013) as well as other short story collections, essays, and novellas, wrote his first short story collection, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (1996), while working as a technical writer and geophysical engineer for Radian International, an environmental engineering firm in Rochester, New York.
  • Amy Tan, American author of The Joy Luck Club (1998), The Bonesetter's Daughter (2001), and other critically acclaimed novels. Tan began writing fiction novels while she was a technical writer.
  • Richard Wilbur, American poet. Worked for Boeing, as he mentioned in conversation.
  • Marion Winik, American author and essayist, worked as a technical writer from 1984-1994 at Unison-Tymlabs, Austin, Texas.

Similar titles

Technical writers can have various job titles, including technical communicator, information developer, technical content developer or technical documentation specialist. In the United Kingdom and some other countries, a technical writer is often called a technical author or knowledge author.

  • Technical communicator
  • Technical author
  • Tech writer
  • Technical content developer
  • Technical information developer
  • Technical journalist
  • Content developer
  • Content designer
  • Web content developer
  • Information architect
  • Information engineer
  • Information designer
  • Information developer
  • API documentation specialist
  • Adult learning content developer
  • Documentation engineer
  • Documentation specialist
  • Document management specialist
  • Documentation manager
  • Text engineer

See also

  • Collaborative editing
  • European Association for Technical Communication
  • Software documentation

References

  • Descriptions and links to standards for technical writers
  • Technical Writing Education Programs - Los Angeles Chapter, Society for Technical Communication (LASTC)
  • ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7 ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7 - Working Group 2 develops international standards for software documentation