What technical communicators do (and what they don’t do)
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In fact, technical communicators, such as technical writers and editors, research long, complicated documentation about technology and technical knowledge. Then, they rewrite the information in a way that’s readable and understandable for the non-expert or layperson. For instance, typical examples of technical communication include educational articles, instructional materials, and user guides that explain how to use hardware or software.
In short, the goal of technical communicators is to transform recondite facts and figures into meaningful content that’s clear and concise for readers. In other words, technical writers and editors transform a lot of technological jargon into user-friendly communication.
Books and sites to better understand what technical communicators do
As a member of the profession, I thought it would be useful to write up a few recommended resources for anyone interested in better understanding what technical communicators do. What follows are five of my favorite books and five of my favorite websites related to technical writing and editing. Just one caveat before I begin. What follows is a list of books and sites I’ve found particularly valuable over the years, from my own perspective.
Namely, my perspective is that it’s valuable to see the jobs of technical communicators similar to those of psychology counselors. Just as psychology counselors teach people how to build harmonious relationships with themselves and one another, technical communicators teach people how to build harmonious relationships with technology and technical knowledge.
In that light, here are a few books and sites I’ve personally enjoyed reading and learning from over the years.
Five recommended books for technical communicators
Nowadays, a large part of technical communication is web writing, or creating text for digital devices—from desktop computers to mobile screens. Redish’s book is a guide for anyone interested in learning how to make web writing more conversational and less confusing.
A natural offshoot of technical communication is what’s called content strategy. Content strategy refers to creating useful, usable content on the web. Here, content includes not just written and edited text but also images, audio, and video, as well as interactive elements such as buttons and links. Halvorson’s book on this topic is a go-to resource.
- Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams
- The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century, by Steven Pinker
It’s no secret that technical writers and editors tend to be grammar geeks; and by far, these are my two favorite books about grammar. Unlike other books on this topic (like Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style), both Williams and Pinker cogently explain not just what the rules of grammar are but also why writers and editors abide by them … and occasionally break them.
For a condensed history of technical communication, from medieval times up to the present, Longo’s book is a one-of-a-kind read. It not only covers the history of the technical writers and editors but also their relationship to knowledge and power, as well as science and technology, in the wider economy.
Five recommended sites for technical communicators
A professional association that supports technical communication and related professions like content strategy. It’s a helpful organization to follow if you’re a technical writer or editor.
A government website that teaches how to write clear communication, both online and offline. It’s supported by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), a group of federal employees who believe that citizens ought to receive clear, concise communication from their government. I couldn’t agree more!
Another government website that teaches the basics of user-centered design, a pillar of technical communication. User-centered design refers to designing information and communication with the end users in mind. For instance, it often means communicating the right info, in the right way, at the right time, to the right people, with the goal of making their interactions with technology and technical knowledge more user friendly.
A global leader of research in user experience and interface design, the Nielsen Norman Group is an essential resource not just for design professionals but also for technical communicators as well. For example, I especially recommend their articles and videos on writing for the web.
An engaging blog and podcast about improving our writing, delivered in the form of brief, friendly tips and tricks. By far, it’s one of my favorite sites on all things grammatical.
Related posts
- Technical writing: What it is, and what it taught me about technology
- Humanistic technical writing: the ethics and aesthetics of communicating science and technology