Technical communication is the process of conveying usable information

through writing or speech about a specific domain to an intended audience.

Information is usable if the intended audience is able to perform an action or
make a decision based on its contents.
Technical communicators often work collaboratively to create products
deliverables for various media, including paper, video, and the Internet.
Deliverables include online help user manuals, technical manuals,
specifications, process and procedure manuals, training, business papers,
reports, etc

CONTENT CREATION:
Technical communication is sometimes considered a professional task for
which organizations either hire specialized employees, or outsource their
needs to communication firms. For example, a professional writer may work
with a company to produce a user manual. Other times, technical
communication is regarded as a responsibility that technical professionals
employ on a daily basis as they work to convey technical information to co-
workers and clients. For example, a computer scientist may need to provide
software documentation to fellow programmers or clients.

The process of developing information products in technical communication

begins by ensuring that the nature of the audience and their need for
information is clearly identified. From there the technical communicator
researches and structures the content into a framework that can guide the
detailed development. As the information product is created, the paramount
goal is ensuring that the content can be clearly understood by the intended
audience and provides the information that the audience needs in the most
appropriate format. This process, known as the The Writing Process has
been a central focus of writing theory since the 1970s, and some
contemporary textbook authors have applied it to technical communication.

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The technical writing process can be divided into five steps:

 Determine purpose and audience.

 Collect information.
 Organize and outline information.
 Write the first draft.
 Revise and edit.

Determining Purpose and Audience:

All technical communication is done with a particular end in mind. The
purpose is usually to facilitate the communication of ideas and concepts to
the audience, but may sometimes be used to direct the audience in a
particular course of action. The purpose may be something as simple as
having the audience understand the details of some technological system, or
to take a particular action using that system.For example, if the workers in a
bank were not properly posting deposits to accounts, someone would write
the procedure so these workers might have the correct procedure. Similarly,
a sales manager might wonder which of two sites would be a more
appropriate choice for a new store, so he would ask someone to study the
market and write a report with the recommendations. The sales manager
would distribute the report to all parties involved in making that decision. In
each of these instances, the person who is writing is transferring knowledge
from the person who knows to the person who needs to know. This is the
basic definition of technical communication.

The most commonly used form of technical communication is technical

writing. Examples of technical writing include: project proposals, persuasive
memos, technical manuals, and users' guides. Such materials should
typically present an (informal) argument and be written diplomatically. A
user's guide for an electronic device typically includes diagrams along with
detailed textual explanations. The purpose should serve as a goal that the
writer strives toward in writing.

The identification of the audience will affect many aspects of

communication, from word selection and graphics usage to style and
organization. A non-technical audience will not understand, or worse yet,
even read a document that is heavy with jargon, while a technical audience
may crave extra detail because it is critical for their work. Busy audiences
will not have time to read an entire document, so content must be organized

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for ease of searching, for example by the frequent inclusion of headers,
white space and other cues that guide attention. Other requirements will vary
on the needs of the particular audience.

Identification of multiple audiences indicates that multiple concepts may

need to be communicated, and Pfeiffer and Boogerd suggest planning for
this situation by first identifying the following for each audience:

• Purpose
• Needed information
• Educational Background

With this information, important needs can be satisfied in a way that caters
to all. If this is not possible, audiences may be prioritized by importance, and
serving important audiences first. Remaining audiences can be served by
including clearly denoted content within the text, such as the advanced topic
sidebars that frequently occur in user's guides.

Collecting Information:
The next step is to collect information needed for accomplishing the stated
purpose. Information may be collected via primary research, where the
technical communicator conducts research first-hand, and secondary
research, where work published by another person is used as an information
source. The technical communicator must acknowledge all sources used to
produce his or her work. To ensure that this is done, the technical
communicator should distinguish quotations, paraphrases, and summaries
when taking notes.

Organize and Outline Information:

Before writing the initial draft, it is important to organize all the ideas in a
way that will make the document flow nicely. A good way of doing this is to
write all random thoughts down on a paper, and then circle all main sections,
connect the main sections to supporting ideas with lines, and delete all
irrelevant material.

Once each idea is organized, the writer can then organize the document as a
whole. This can be accomplished in various ways:

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 • Chronological: This is used for documents that involve a linear
process, such as a step-by-step guide describing how to accomplish
something.
• Parts of an object: Used for documents which describe the parts of an
object, such as a graphic showing the parts of a computer (keyboard,
monitor, mouse, etc)
• Simple to Complex (or vice versa): Starts with the easy to understand
ideas, and gradually goes more in-depth with complex ideas.
• Specific to General: Starts with many ideas, and then organizes the
ideas into sub-categories
• General to Specific: Starts with a few categories of ideas, and then
goes more in-depth.

Once the whole document is organized, it's a good idea to create a final
outline, which will show all the ideas in an easy to understand document.
Creating an outline makes the entire writing process much easier and will
save the author time.

Writing the First Draft:

After the outline is completed, the next step is to write the first draft. The
goal is to write down ideas from the outline as quickly as possible. Setting
aside blocks of one hour or more, in a place free of distractions, will help the
writer maintain a flow. Also, the writer should wait until the draft is
complete to do any revising; stopping to revise at this stage will break the
writer's flow. The writer should start with the section that is easiest for them,
and write the summary only after the body is drafted.

Revising and Editing:

Once the initial draft is laid out, editing and revising must be done to fine
tune the draft into a final copy. The tasks transform the early draft into its
final form, suggested by Pfeiffer and Boogard:

• Adjust and reorganizing content

During this step, go back to your draft to 1) focus or elaborate on certain
topics which deserve more attention, 2) shorten other sections, and 3) shift
around certain paragraphs, sentences, or entire topics.

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 • Edit for style:
Style refers to changes that make the writing more interesting, appealing, or
more readable. Some changes are made by choice, not for correctness, and
may include:

• shorten paragraphs
• rearrange paragraphs
• change passive-voice sentences to an active voice
• shorten sentences
• add headings, lists, graphics

• Edit for grammar:

At this point, you can start looking through the document for grammatical
errors, such as comma usage and common word mix up (for example,
there/their/they're). To get the most out of this step, pay special attention to
mistakes which you have repeatedly made in your previous writing.

Controlled languages:
In environments where readability and (automated) translatability are of
primary concern, authors may be using a controlled language, i.e. a subset of
natural languages whose grammars and dictionaries have been restricted. An
example of a widely used controlled language is Simplified English, which
was originally developed for aerospace industry maintenance manuals.

 Technical communication jobs include

the following:
• Technical writer
• Technical editor
• Technical illustrator
• Information architect
• Usability expert

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 • User interface designer
• Technical trainer

TECHNICAL WRITER:
Technical writers are professional writers who design, create, maintain and
update many types of technical documentation, online help, user guides,
white papers, design specifications, and other documents. Sometimes, a field
engineer may need to be a technical writer, as well.

Their given field can be almost anything that requires specialized knowledge
and information

Examples include the mechanical, electrical, or medical fields, but many

technical writers work in the computer/information technology area.

A technical writer's primary responsibility is to effectively communicate a

technical message. Technical writers are responsible for creating
documentation that is accurate and complete, but as concise as possible, and
easy for the intended readership to understand. Some technical writers also
communicate in other modes (e.g., writing scripts for industrial film or
video).

Qualifications:
Technical writers normally possess a mix of technical and language abilities,
and have degrees or certifications in areas such as Computer Science,
Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Technical Communications,
Journalism, Communications, English (or the applicable language), and
Management. The writer should have enough expertise to understand the
document's intended readers.

A good technical writer has the ability to assimilate and convey technical
material in a concise, effective manner. It is more difficult to find technical

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writers with command of technical areas, so those writers are generally in
higher demand. For example, writers who develop documentation for
development software, microcontroller operations, and other technical
subjects often have better prospects than those who write user guides for a
less technical audience (for example, "How to use email"). Writers with
experience in multiple technical areas have an even greater advantage.

Technical writers are known in the United Kingdom and some other
countries as technical authors or Knowledge Authors. Technical
writers may also be known by other names such as Technical
Communicators and Technical Documentation Specialists.

Methodology:

Before writing any document, it is essential that a technical writer gather as

much information as possible on the topic and also the purpose of the
document or assignment and the intended audience. Sometimes, previously
written documents will provide information that the technical writer can use
to frame the given work. A technical writer should be adept at tackling
topics that are unfamiliar and analyzing the information in order to create a
coherent document.

Technical writers work closely with technicians, engineers, developers,

managers, and occasionally customers, to ensure that the delivered product
meets all requirements. Technical writers work the closest with Subject
Matter Experts (SME’S).

Well-formed technical documents follow common publishing guidelines.

Technical documentation comes in all styles and formats, depending on the
medium used to convey the information. Printed documentation has different
standards than online documentation. Usually, technical writers follow the
formatting conventions described in a standard style guide; the Microsoft
Manual of Style for Technical Publications and the Chicago Manual of Style
are two well-known examples.

Instructional or how-to documents are written in the present tense using the
second person (you). Technical writers avoid the use of passive voice.

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Environment:
Technical writers often work as part of a writing team. In most cases, after
the documentation is written, it's reviewed for content accuracy and
completeness by one or more "Subject Matter Experts" (SME’S), at a
minimum. Others, such as users or managers, may review it to ensure it
suffices from a more practical or high-level perspective (such as review of
administrative errors and organizational problems). Finally, it should be
edited for spelling and reviewed for correct and proper grammar and usage
(generally by a native speaker of the language of the document)

EDITING:
Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for
presentation through correction, condensation, organization, and other
modifications. A person who edits is called an editor. An important part of
editing is the idea conception angle, and having the judgment to assign who
does the work. Editing is therefore also a modality that applies human
relations and creative skills as well. In a sense, the editing process originates
with the idea for the work itself, and in the relationship between the author
and the editor.

Print media:
There are various levels of editorial positions in publishing. Typically one
finds junior editorial assistants reporting to the senior level editorial
managers and directors, who themselves report to senior executive editors
responsible for project development to final releases. Human editors in the
print publishing industry include people who are responsible for:

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 • Organizing and publishing a magazine. The top editor may be called
editor-in-chief.
• Newspaper
• Those who get the magazine into the hands of readers and
subscribers, even, have editorial titles and are called circulation
editors.
• Frequent and esteemed contributors to a magazine may acquire the
title editor at-large or the less pompous contributing editor.
• Producing a definitive edition of a classic author's works—a
scholarly editor.
• Organizing and managing contributions to a multi-author book —
symposium editor or volume editor.
• Finding marketable ideas and presenting them to appropriate authors
— a sponsoring editor.
• Obtaining copy or recruiting authors — such as the acquisitions
editor or commissioning editor for a publishing house.
• Correcting spelling, grammar, and matters of house style—a
copyeditor. But copy editors at newspapers usually also have greater
and higher responsibilities
• Choosing the layout of the publication and communicating with the
printer — a production editor.

The smaller the publication, the more these roles run together. In particular,
the substantive editor and copy editor often overlap: Fact-checking and
rewriting can be the responsibility of either.

Executive editor:
The top editor sometimes has the title executive editor or editor-in-chief (the
former is replacing the latter in the language). This person is generally
responsible for the content of the publication. The exception is that
newspapers that are large enough usually have a separate editor for the
editorials and opinion pages in order to have a complete separation of its
news reporting and its editorial content.

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The executive editor sets the publication standards for performance, as well
as for motivating and developing the staff. The executive editor is also
responsible for developing and maintaining the publication budget. In
concert with the publisher and the operating committee, the executive editor
is responsible for strategic and operational planning.

Newspapers:
Editors at newspapers supervise journalists and improve their work.
Newspaper editing encompasses a variety of titles and functions. These
include:

• Copy editors
• Department editors
• Managing editors and assistant or deputy managing editors (the
managing editor is often second in line after the top editor)
• News editors, who oversee the news desks
• Photo or picture editors
• Section editors and their assistants, such as for business, features, and
sports e.t.c.

The term city editor is used differently in North America, where it refers to
the editor responsible for the news coverage of a newspaper's local
circulation area (also sometimes called metro editor), and in the United
Kingdom.

Scholarly books and journals:

Editors of scholarly books and journals are of three types, each with
particular responsibilities: the acquisitions editor (or commissioning editor
in Britain), who contracts with the author to produce the copy, the project

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editor or production editor, who sees the copy through its stages from
manuscript through bound book and usually assumes most of the budget and
schedule responsibilities, and the copy editor or manuscript editor, who
performs the tasks of readying the copy for conversion into printed form.

Technical editing:
Technical editing involves reviewing text written on a technical topic, and
identifying errors related to the use of language in general or adherence to a
specific style guide.

This activity ensures that documentation is of good quality. In large

companies, experienced writers are dedicated to the technical editing
function; in organizations that cannot afford dedicated editors, experienced
writers typically peer-edit text produced by their relatively less experienced
colleagues.

It helps if the technical editor is familiar with the subject being edited, but
that is not always essential. The "technical" knowledge that an editor gains
over time while working on a particular product or technology does give the
editor an edge over another who has just started editing content related to
that product or technology. In the long run, however, the skills that really
matter are attention to detail, the ability to sustain focus while working
through lengthy pieces of text on complex topics, tact in dealing with
writers, and excellent communication skills.

ILLUSTRATOR:
An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing writing by
providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the
associated text. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicated
concepts or objects that are difficult to describe textually, or the illustration

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may be intended for entertainment, as in greeting cards, or cover art or
interior art for books and magazines, or for advertisement, as on posters.

Most contemporary illustrators make their living creating artwork for use in
children's books, advertising, newspapers and magazines. Pen and ink and
airbrush artists traditionally dominated this realm.

Computers dramatically changed the industry, and today computers are used
to produce most of the commercial illustrations.

There are no formal qualifications needed to become an illustrator.

However, many established illustrators attended an art school or college of
some sort and were trained in different painting and drawing techniques
Most of the scientific illustrations and technical illustrations are also known
as information graphics

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE:
Information architecture (IA) is the science of expressing a model or
concept for information. Information architecture is used in library systems,
web development, user interactions, database development, programming,
technical writing, enterprise architecture, critical system software design and
other activities that require expressions of complex systems.

Most definitions have common qualities: a structural design of shared

environments, methods of organizing and labeling websites, intranets, and
online communities, and ways of bringing the principles of design and
architecture to the digital landscape.

The term information architecture describes a specialized skill set which

relates to the interpretation of information and expression of distinctions
between signs and systems of signs. It has some degree of origin in the
library sciences. Many library schools teach information architecture.

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USABILITY:
Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a
particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular
goal. Usability can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the
study of the principles behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance.

In human-computer interaction and computer science, usability usually

refers to the elegance and clarity with which the interaction with a computer
program or a web site is designed. The term is also used often in the context
of products like consumer electronics, or in the areas of communication, and
knowledge transfer objects (such as a cookbook, a document or online help).
It can also refer to the efficient design of mechanical objects such as a door
handle or a hammer.

Usability considerations:
Usability includes considerations such as:

• Who are the users, what do they know, and what can they learn?
• What do users want or need to do?
• What is the general background of the users?
• What is the context in which the user is working?
• What has to be left to the machine? What to the user?

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Answers to these can be obtained by conducting user and task analysis at the
start of the project.

User interface:
The user interface (or Human Machine Interface) is the aggregate of means
by which people (the users) interact with a particular machine, device,
computer program or other complex tool (the system). The user interface
provides means of:

• Input, allowing the users to manipulate a system

• Output, allowing the system to produce the effects of the users'
manipulation.

TRAINER “BUSINESS”:
Trainers work in many different areas, mainly educating employees of
companies on specific topics of workplace importance. Some trainers are in-
house, and others work for training companies.

Trainers often work within the [Human Resources] department of a

company, fulfilling the most frequent internal needs for education of the
workers and management in a company.

In certain cases companies hire external trainers, especially if the needed

knowledge is not available within the own trainers pool or if the company is
too small to have internal trainers or if the project is too large for the in-
house training staff.

Many companies exist specialize on certain areas of training such change

management, leadership, diversity management, communications and
technology.

Many times people confuse the term training facilitator and trainer. As
opposed to the facilitator the trainer does take an active role and transmits
mainly knowledge.

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  POWER TOOLS FOR
TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION:
Technical communicators use a variety of tools to create usable
information. Often referred to as a "tool set", there is no defined list of
tools that are used by all technical writers. However, broad categories of
tools are used by most technical writers and communicators.

WORD PROCESSORS:
There are a variety of word processors available. The most common is Word
by Microsoft. OpenOffice.org is a relatively recent tool that is growing in
popularity.

E-LEARNING PROGRAMS:
The latest trend in online education is to connect tutors and students from
across the world with interactive software. Author LIVE has gained good
ground in the field, offering an excellent tutoring environment, and is fast
becoming the preferred connectivity solution for distance learning. Other
options include IBIS, Blackboard, and Web C T.

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 GRAPHICS PROGRAMS:
There is an old cliché; "A picture is worth a thousand words". This holds
true for technical communication. Many document sets contain large
numbers of screen captures, black-box diagrams, and other explanatory
pictures to assist the reader in understanding a concept or action. The most
commonly used programs are industry leader Corel Photo XI, Photoshop by
Adobe Systems.

DESKSTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE:

Not all projects require a high level of presentation quality, especially
projects designed for a company's internal use only. When a project is to be
presented to external audiences, presentation becomes more important.
Desktop publishing software can give a document set a better presentation
than a word processor.

• For documents requiring a complex or flexible layout,

• or with strict typography demands, the two most common packages
are Quark Xpress and In design.
•
• For unstructured long document publishing, such a technical manuals,
Frame maker and Interleaf are the most common choices.

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 TEXT EDITORS:
Lightweight text editors are very useful tools. While many word processors
can be used to edit text, specialized text editors generally have features for
handling text that word processors don't have. The most common text editors
are Notepad by Microsoft, BBEdit, vim, and Text pad.

HTML EDITORS:
Any text editor can be used as a HTML editor, but specialized HTML
editors generally include features for manipulating HTML that text editors
don't include. Many word processors can save information as HTML, but the
quality of HTML output is often not to W3C standards. The most common
HTML editors are HTML-Kit, Home site/ Dream weaver, Adobe Go Live.

SPECIALIZED TOOLS FOR

GENERATING HELP FILES:
Although various outputs have been historically popular, the overall trend in
help documentation output format is towards online help. There are many
software packages designed for producing help files:

• Help & Manual

• Help Server
• Mad Cap Flare and many others.

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 ONLINE FORUMS:
Technical communicators often seek the advice and recommendations of
their peers through online forums. These can include, but are not limited to,
email lists, Wiki pages, and internet forums or discussion boards. The
forums provide information on technical communication standards and job
prospects, as well as several other topics.

OTHER USEFULL TOOLS:

There are many other tools that technical communicators find useful.
Dictionaries are one of the most useful tools any writer can have. A list of
online dictionaries is available. For more information on available tools refer
to the Technical communication tools category.

 CONCLUSION:
By this report I have Understand the Communicator's Work that how they
use their tools and how they apply the Techniques to complete the document
and product and how they make their communication complete and
effective.
As we move into the 21st century, broader approaches in governments,
business, industries, and universities are necessary. Governments are
increasingly forced to collaborate with other governments to address
problems beyond the control of individual nations. Industries increasingly
find it difficult to survive without pursuing global markets. Also, universities
are moving from departmental to interdisciplinary approaches to
curriculums. These changes call for greater scope in goals, social structures,
and methodologies. Technical communication is an example of a field
deeply involved in all of these institutions and prompted toward greater
scope in the engagement of problems. Technical communicators have
learned a great deal about how to design an effective online help system.

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