| Technical writing translate, organize,
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| | • Working as a Single Technical Writer
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| and present complex information in the
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| | in a Department
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| form of user guides so that any person
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| | In this case, one is responsible for
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| can easily understand and use that
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| | entire documentation projects from the
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| information. Depending on the needs of
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| | planning stage through delivery. It is
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| the audience and the product, the type
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| | the technical writer's duty to evaluate
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| and form of the document that is produced
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| | products and analyze customer
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| varies.
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| | requirements. In addition to writing, he
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| Technical writing has wide applications
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| | she designs templates for books in the
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| in diverse fields: computers, medicine,
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| | documentation suite and ensures
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| manufacturing, finance, telecom,
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| | documents' testing before their
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| aviation, robotics, consumer electronics,
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| | deliveries. He/she also advises the
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| and biotechnology, among others. It would
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| | design team on the usability of the
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| be a mistake to believe that technical
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| | products.
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| writing is only about written words and
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| | • Working as Part of a Writing Team
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| illustrations; today, in fact, many other
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| | Writing teams may be comprised of as few
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| avenues have opened up for technical
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| | as two writers or as many as two hundred
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| writers to write for multimedia
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| | writers. Inexperienced technical writers
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| companies, online help systems, and
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| | get more opportunities to work in large
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| websites.
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| | teams than in small teams. The advantage
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| Depending on their work profiles,
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| | of working in larger teams is that they
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| professionals in technical writing hold
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| | use tried-and-tested project policies and
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| titles such as technical writer,
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| | procedures. The disadvantage is that
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| usability specialist, documentation
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| | initially, experienced writers on the
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| manager, technical editor, information
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| | team closely monitor new recruits' work
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| developer, technical illustrator, and web
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| | and often direct them to rewrite
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| designer.
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| | documents more than once.
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| Features of Technical Writing
| |
| | Newly appointed technical writers start
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| As with any form of writing, technical
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| | out using desktop publishing software,
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| communication is meaningless if it fails
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| | interviewing subject-matter experts
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| to translate and convey technical ideas
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| | (SMEs), researching glossary terms, and
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| in messages audiences can understand.
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| | organizing information. With experience,
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| Just as in other forms of writing, a
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| | they are assigned to difficult documents
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| technical writer's failure to analyze the
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| | and are allowed to design simple and/or
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| needs of his or her audiences and the
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| | complex templates.
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| objectives of particular documents can
| |
| | • Working as a Freelance Technical
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| defeat the purpose of technical writing.
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| | Writer
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| In spite of this and other similarities,
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| | Freelancers have to complete assigned
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| though, technical writing differs from
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| | tasks within specified periods. Payments
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| other writing in some aspects:
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| | are based on negotiated hourly rates or
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| • Technical writing is highly
| |
| | flat rates. Rates are never static and
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| structured.
| |
| | depend largely on writers' experiences,
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| • Formal language is used.
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| | abilities, and market conditions. Renewal
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| • Sentences are usually shorter, and
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| | of contracts is unpredictable and depends
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| messages are easier to infer.
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| | on many factors ranging from performance
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| • Depending on the audience, documents
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| | to personal rapport and the market.
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| sometimes extensively include sketches,
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| | The continuing expansion of scientific
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| tables, charts, and diagrams.
| |
| | and technical information and the need to
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| • Documents maintain balances between
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| | communicate it to many audiences will
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| theories and their applications.
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| | increase job opportunities for technical
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| • Writers work closely with designers
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| | writers. The field of technical writing
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| and illustrators.
| |
| | is open to not only professional
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| • Documents intended for the general
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| | communicators but also to the technical
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| public place greater emphasis on
| |
| | workforce. Many computers programmers,
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| "layman's language" than documents meant
| |
| | lab technicians, research scientists, and
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| for the technically skilled.
| |
| | engineers also do quite well in the
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| Work Conditions
| |
| | field.
|
