Have you ever tried to explain to someone how to tie their shoes? Itās much harder than it seems. Youāve been tying your own shoes since kindergarten and now can do it without thinking. In order to show someone else how to do it, however, you have to take what has become automatic and break it down into small steps in a specific order. This process takes mental dexterity. You have to imagine yourself in someone elseās place to be able to teach them how to tie their shoes. If you do your job well, you help them build a new skill and prevent them from tripping over untied laces. Shoe tying and technical communication may seem like two very different activities, but we offer this analogy to help you understand your role as a technical communicator.
Technical communicators help audiences solve problems and break complex topics down into simple steps. Thatās why youāre reading this book. In the pages that follow, you will learn how technical communication shares similarities with the shoe-tying situation. The ability to explain with clarity is crucial on the job, whether you work for a government think tank, an engineering firm, or a preschool. Whatās more, you can apply these skills at any stage in your professional development.
You might be nervous about a course in technical communication because you think the word ātechnicalā implies learning complicated and tedious material. You might have avoided or postponed taking a course in technical communication, assuming that the skills arenāt necessary for your chosen field. This textbook aims to show you that technical communication isnāt hyper-specialized, impractical, or intimidating. Think about your field. Training to be a professional means you are training how to be a problem solver. Technical communication is about communicating the most direct and effective path toward a solution. Employers and organizations tackle issues, and they need people with advanced communication skills who can translate ideas into plain English.
Technical Communication Defined
Technical communication involves generating clear, precise, and accurate content about practical information in a field. A technical communicator creates a purposeful message for a specific audience. This can take many forms (figure 1.1).
Although written content is one method used by technical communicators, itās not the only one. Youāll notice that technical communication is also about formatting, layout, and visual design, not just words on a page. As a result, this book uses the phrase ātechnical communicationā instead of ātechnical writing.ā This textbook introduces you to diverse approaches to technical communication and a range of communication skills that will be useful in any profession.
Technical documentsāthe content generated by technical communicatorsāsurround you. For example, a bus stop contains specific information relevant to users of public transportation. Riders need to sort through arrival and departure times quickly and efficiently so they donāt miss their bus. Effective design organizes the information: the location of bus stops, the route schedule, and connection points with other bus lines. When a document like this fails to do its job, the consequences are real.
Start noticing where and how technical documents intersect with your life. Youāll begin to see examples everywhere. Store directories, the washing label sewn inside your shirt, heating instructions for a microwave dinnerāthese are technical documents, too. As simple as these examples sound, they didnāt just happen. Someone thought about you, the user, when they designed the mall kiosk to help you get to that out-of-the-way shop that sells pickle-flavored lip balm. The icons on your favorite shirtās label tell you at a glance how to wash it so it lasts longer. Dinner is savedāas well as your taste budsāby instructions that tell you to let the microwaved mashed potatoes sit for five minutes before shoveling them into your mouth.
Depending on your field, a technical document may have a different name: deliverable, product, report, text, etc.
Technical communicators are a diverse group. Look around and youāll see several majors represented in your classroom. You might have classmates studying computer science, engineering, business, education, medicine, or human services. Technical communicators could be teachers who provide student reports for extra instructional assistance, nurses who write detailed patient summaries to ensure continuity of care during shift changes, or engineers who create product or process schemas.
This book teaches you how to solve technical problems by focusing on the following concepts in your writing:
Ā» The audienceās attributes (the āuserā)
Ā» The purpose of the document
Ā» The message that will resolve the problem
Effective technical communication involves creativity, discipline, and resourcefulness. Wherever you might be headed after this, you are responsible for using the tools described in this book to make someoneās life easier and, sometimes, safer.