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Defining what technical documentation is sets the stage for a mix of quality and comprehension. Technical documentation is an instructional process for the correct handling of a particular product, or as a provisional "how to" for most concepts. The documentation works with the persons strategic abilities in providing clarity on just about anything.
The competency of handling a product at the user-end relies on the skills of the technical writer. The series of events are cyclic in nature. The inventor provides information to the writer who then takes on the technical aspects of functionality and advises by documentation the procedure necessary for utilization.
Generally, by presumption if you invented something, you would be the best person to describe, and manipulate it. This factor does not necessarily hold true. Research has shown that inventors also presume that the product is self-explanatory in how it works. They are too close to the fundamentals, and if they were to attempt to provide documentation of an explanatory nature, there would be a lot of information that would be missing.
In orientation of the product, what is looked at is various ways in which it works and overall functionality. There would be clarification to afford to those who would provide the documentation the necessary information to do so. This would enable the integration of outside influences setting the stage for fundamental feedback.
It may seem a tall order for a person who did not invent a product to be responsible for shedding light on the overall concept and manipulation, and to be able to make the information user friendly in being easy to understand. It is not an easy feat by any means, and technical documentation writers go to school to learn these skills.
There are schools just for the enhancement and education of technical writers. They learn how to effectively take the information from the inventor and document it effectively to a wide audience in understanding the what, and why of a product. Their professional demeanor comes across in the finished manual.
Design plays a large part in developing manuals, and other documents. Imagery is an important tool in defining a concept in addition to the text associations. Working in the field and acquiring user feedback is an important factor in the growth of skill sets exhibited by a creator of technical documentation. Feedback in itself helps to advise the creator of how comprehensive the work is, or is not.
Feedback is vital to ensure that the writer has achieved effectively the "how to" as described in the instructions to the user. If the user is at a total loss after reading the instructions to figure out how to manipulate the product, the writer's job is not complete. The user will contact the company, who in turn will monitor the information received. Depending on how many contacts received in relation to a particular product will be the deciding factor that the documentation is not effective, and requires revision.
The understanding of technical documentation is what a technical writer provides. He uses training and skills to ensure that the information received is comprehensive and easy to understand, and relies on user feedback to confirm that he has achieved this goal.
The competency of handling a product at the user-end relies on the skills of the technical writer. The series of events are cyclic in nature. The inventor provides information to the writer who then takes on the technical aspects of functionality and advises by documentation the procedure necessary for utilization.
Generally, by presumption if you invented something, you would be the best person to describe, and manipulate it. This factor does not necessarily hold true. Research has shown that inventors also presume that the product is self-explanatory in how it works. They are too close to the fundamentals, and if they were to attempt to provide documentation of an explanatory nature, there would be a lot of information that would be missing.
In orientation of the product, what is looked at is various ways in which it works and overall functionality. There would be clarification to afford to those who would provide the documentation the necessary information to do so. This would enable the integration of outside influences setting the stage for fundamental feedback.
It may seem a tall order for a person who did not invent a product to be responsible for shedding light on the overall concept and manipulation, and to be able to make the information user friendly in being easy to understand. It is not an easy feat by any means, and technical documentation writers go to school to learn these skills.
There are schools just for the enhancement and education of technical writers. They learn how to effectively take the information from the inventor and document it effectively to a wide audience in understanding the what, and why of a product. Their professional demeanor comes across in the finished manual.
Design plays a large part in developing manuals, and other documents. Imagery is an important tool in defining a concept in addition to the text associations. Working in the field and acquiring user feedback is an important factor in the growth of skill sets exhibited by a creator of technical documentation. Feedback in itself helps to advise the creator of how comprehensive the work is, or is not.
Feedback is vital to ensure that the writer has achieved effectively the "how to" as described in the instructions to the user. If the user is at a total loss after reading the instructions to figure out how to manipulate the product, the writer's job is not complete. The user will contact the company, who in turn will monitor the information received. Depending on how many contacts received in relation to a particular product will be the deciding factor that the documentation is not effective, and requires revision.
The understanding of technical documentation is what a technical writer provides. He uses training and skills to ensure that the information received is comprehensive and easy to understand, and relies on user feedback to confirm that he has achieved this goal.
About the Author:
Allen Wright has been an outspoken supporter of proper technical documentation for 3 years now, and is a strong advocate of stereo instructions.
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