1.1: What Is Technical Communication?

Technical communication is an audience-centered means of communication that provides the reader with clear, accurate, and ethically represented information. According to the Society for Technical Communication, this type of communication includes the following characteristics:

• “Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical procedures, or environmental regulations.”
• “Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites.”
• “Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even if the technology is used to create or distribute that communication.”

ACADEMIC WRITING VS. TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Technical communication is distinct from the academic forms of writing you may be more familiar with. The academic writer’s purpose may be to write an essay, a story, a research paper, etc. Such assignments are often designed so that students can “write to learn” and show mastery of information covered in class. These works may or may not have an audience other than the professor.

Technical communication, however, is intended for another purpose. These documents convey information to audiences who may or may not have prior knowledge of the material discussed. Technical communicators must, therefore, determine the needs of their audience and design documents that convey information in an accessible and appropriate manner. Depending on the context of communication, it might also be necessary to convey information in a concise and efficient manner, succinctly presenting points and cutting extraneous or potentially distracting material.

VISUAL FORMATTING AND EXPLANATORY LANGUAGE

Another key difference that distinguishes technical communication from academic writing is the importance of visual formatting and explanatory language. Visual formatting and explanatory language are the basic design elements of technical documents. Visual formatting—e.g., headings, subheadings, or a table of contents—shows the hierarchical structure of information and orients the reader within a text. The explanatory or descriptive language provides the reader with a clear understanding of the information discussed. This type of language can include explicit details of technical information as well as information about the purpose of the document, how the document relates to the reader’s needs, and what action is expected of the reader.

Visual formatting and explanatory language make technical documents functional and easy to navigate. For example, if a technical report details funding for numerous departments, the superintendent for a particular department might not want to read the entire document. Instead, the superintendent may choose to only read the sections pertaining to his or her department. A well-designed technical document should enable a reader to scan through the document and easily find and comprehend the sections relevant to his or her needs.

You may have experienced a similar scenario when flipping through a user manual, another example of technical communication. Instead of reading the entire manual when setting up a device or troubleshooting during an emergency, you probably scan the index and headings to find relevant sections. A well-written user manual will include sections that clearly and succinctly present information and enable you to effectively complete your desired task.

Other characteristics common to technical communication include specialized terminology, abbreviations, equations, images, and graphics (tables, graphs, figures, etc.).

MANAGING COMPLEXITY

Visual formatting and explanatory language are also needed in technical communication to effectively represent complex information. Rarely does a complex idea have a simple structure. For example, an analysis of water usage might span multiple countries, lake and river usage, irrigation and power generation, political implications, infrastructure, and technology. All of these dimensions are interconnected. You will need to make choices about what information to include, how to organize this information, and how to clearly express connections between complex and multifaceted issues. Many arrangements will be possible. The right arrangement is the one that best fits the audience, context, and purpose of your document.

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LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS

• Hall, E. T. & Hall, M. R. (1990). Understanding Cultural Differences. Yardmouth: Intercultural Press, Inc.
• Riordan, D. G. (2005). Technical Report Writing Today. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
• “What is Technical Writing” by Dr. Elizabeth Lohman licensed under (CC BY 4.0).
• “Introduction Study Materials” by David Custer licensed under (CC BY-NC-SA).