Introduction

So you've seen the title technical writer in your job search, and it has whet your appetite to learn more, or you are just plain curious about what Joe Bloggs, six offices down from you, does all day. Here's a guide to the profession.

The Profession

People involved in the generation, preparation, communication or dissemination of scientific and/or technical information are said to be involved in "technical communications."

Technical communications is a recognized profession in many countries. However, not all government labor departments will have a specific major category for the profession. Most governments categorize the profession under "Journalism."

International Representative Body

The internationally recognized representative body of the profession is INTECOM.

Quoting from the INTECOM Web Site , "INTECOM stands for international co-operation between technical communication organizations. INTECOM aims to improve technical documentation and communication and represents approximately 30.000 people who are active in the profession, in fifteen member organizations."

We hope to make the SA-STC the sixteenth member organization.

The Job

Technical writers are people who are responsible for authoring literature that explains hardware and software to people.

The purpose of their labor is to facilitate knowledge transfer, so that people who interact with a product or service may do so with an understanding that enables safe and efficient use.

The Title

The title "Technical Writer" is the most common name used for people who are active in the profession of technical communications. However, there are a number of other job titles that are used interchangeably with technical writer, including:

• Technical Communicator
• Technical Author
• Information Designer
• Information Developer
• Information Architect
• Customer Information Engineer

In addition to these interchangeable titles, there are a number of titles given to people whose function within the profession is not technical writing per se, but are still involved in technical communications:

• Documentation Manager
• Publication Manager
• Technical Editor
• Technical Illustrator

The Demand

Technical writers are needed whenever something is built by one actor and then sold or used by another. Generally, the actor receiving what was built needs instructions on how to use the something safely and efficiently.

There are any number of places in industry where technical writers may be employed, they range from software and hardware vendors to automobile and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Technical writers are also employed by the service sector in businesses such as banks, insurance providers, and communications providers. Technical writers are also employed by businesses in the retail sector who have large information system departments, or who develop thier own in-house, proprietry systems.

Since most economies have manufacturing, service, and retail sectors, the market demand for technical writers is not limited to a specific economy, although some economies do have greater or lesser demands for the expertise of a technical writer.

The Need

The reason why a businesses needs a technical writer is dependent on the nature of the business. However, some fundamental reasons, driven by specific needs, are common amongst businesses that do employ their services.

• To transfer knowledge.
• To reduce training costs.
• To reduce support costs.
• To comply with contractual obligations.
• To negate liabilities.
• To satisfy customer expectations.
• To improve customer experience.
• To improve customer loyalty.
• To increase product value.

Most businesses today realize that literature accompanying a product or service is an integral part of that product/service. Customers expect to open a box and find literature inside.

The Work

If you want an easy, solitary job, where you are left to your own devices, and get to write a novel, then this is not the job for you.

While you might be writing a book, so the finished product is something you wrote, there is a lot of collaboration. As a technical writer, you will have to research the product and the people who will be interacting with it. You will have to define the information requirements of each audience and interview people, solicit their feedback and input, and coordinate the effort of all those involved. Only twenty to 30 percent of your time is writing. A single A4 page can take as much as 5 hours to produce when you calculate the full cycle of development from research to production.

Contrary to what many people believe, work as a technical writer involves much more than sitting alone at your PC. The job requires plenty of contact with other professionals -- from programmers and engineers to project managers and marketing managers -- to write and design documentation. This is definitely not a solitary profession. Where many people within a project are limited in the number of people they are required to interact with, the technical writer gets to interact with nearly everyone. In large systems it is often the technical writer who has the broadest view and knowledge of how the system hangs together or works. Most developers are focused on a small part of what is a much bigger entity, the technical writer speaks to each one of them.

The nature of the work requires technical writers to demonstrate solid understanding of technology, good writing and thinking skills, they must also be proficient in any number of tools related to the preparation and distribution of their literature. Depending on the nature of the project, they may also have to understand one or more computer programming languages and subjects such as ergonomics or human interface-design. For example, technical writers in the field of enterprise applications will need an understanding of business, business processes, information and communication technology, their product and their audiences, in addition to the basic skill set of a technical writer.

Background Requirements

As a group, technical writers have varied backgrounds. Studies conducted by organizations, representative of the profession, show that five academic backgrounds are most common among technical communicators, including:

• English
• Technical Communications
• Science or Engineering
• Computer Science
• Journalism

Anyone with a technical background will have an easier time breaking into the industry, as that shows a facility with technical topics and the ability to work with industry professionals. Unlike other areas of technology, technical communication does not have a widely recognized certification. This means that people from liberal arts, or business administration backgrounds, who can demonstrate technical proficiency can enter the profession.