Technical Communication
summary | detail
Technical communication is the transfer of specialized or technical information from experts to non-specialists who use it. Thus, technical communication involves nearly all aspects of business communication, from specifications to marketing “blurbs.”
Technical communication also means making best use of the communication media available, including computers, cell phones, websites, PDAs, DVDs, videoconferences, printed business cards or brochures, promotional items, or old-fashioned coffee breaks and water-cooler conversations.
Familiar examples of technical communication include:
- Instructional materials
- Instructions for using products
- Product specifications
- Manuals and user guides
- Online help
- Organizational materials
- Company policies and procedures
- Process descriptions
- Organizational charts
- Workflow diagrams
- Scientific and technical materials
- Scientific and technical articles and reports
- Technical manuals and books
- Reference manuals
- Training materials
- Textbooks, exercise books, and laboratory manuals
- Demonstrations
- Electronic exercises, online help, knowledge databases
- Software and website support, such as wizards, online help, and live chat
- Marketing materials
- Brochures and pamphlets
- Videos, audiotapes, and press releases
- Catalogs and websites
- Business communications
- Letters and emails
- Requests for proposals (RFPs) and proposals
- Newsletters and magazines (print or electronic)
Process
Technical communication refers to a specific process as well as a set of communication products. Effective, usable technical communication is created in the same phases generally associated with the development of software or websites. The five basic steps or phases are:
- Requirements Gathering—After an opportunity, need, or problem is recognized, goals are set and objectives are identified. In this phase, the organization defines:
- Audiences for the information
- Format and media
- Distribution strategy
- Product standards
- Design—The requirements show the organization what to build, how to build it, and the pace of development. The communication product is assembled, bit by bit. Information designers, graphic designers, writers, editors, engineers or technicians, domain experts, and target users collaborate intensively during this phase.
- Evaluation—This phase overlaps the phases for design and maintenance. Various evaluations must be conducted repeatedly to ensure that the technical communication product is useful, usable, appealing (aesthetically satisfying)—and suitable for its intended audience. Most communication products are tested for usability, but depending on the product, other evaluation methods such as expert evaluation might be conducted as well.
- Release—The website, newsletter, marketing brochure, or booklet is published, announced, and distributed.
- Maintenance—As new information or product features become available, audiences are notified about updates and additions to the communication product. Additional instructions, samples, demos, and other materials may be created at this point, initiating a new cycle of technical communication.
Practitioners
Skilled technical communication is at the heart of business success. Technical communication specialists are key members of any documentation effort, and we play the following roles (as appropriate). Note that some of these roles may be combined, depending on the size of the effort:
- Project manager
- Managing editor
- Information designer
- Content developer
- Peer editor
- Copy editor
- Graphic or visual designer
- Illustrator
- Coder/producer for online or print delivery
Tec-Ed can help you with any communication challenge for your business or organization. Our consultants and specialists are well versed in user-centered design and collectively have many decades of experience with print and electronic design and development methods. In addition, Tec-Ed contributes regularly to the literature of user-centered design and usability research for product and documentation use and user experience.
Related Topics
Related Tec-Ed Papers or Publications
- Combining Usability Research with Documentation Development for Improved User Support [PDF version 292KB]
- Audience Analysis and Document Planning (book chapter)
- Minimalist Design for Documentation (course)
For help with any aspect of technical communication, from document design to usability testing, please contact Barbra Wells at barbra@teced.com.
