Tech writer at work
Technical writing forms a vital bridge between the developer and the customer. Through the use of printed and online materials, it answers questions about use a product and how that product can improve the buyers' life. The tech writer spends only a small part of her job in the actual writing. Much time is spent coordinating and coaxing information from managers, programmers and marketers to produce usable documentation.
Standards
Is the product called EasyPhoto, EZPhoto or Easy Photo? Is that a picture of the access port, Access port or Access Port? The only way to know is for you to establish standards at the beginning of development and to stick with those names until the product is shipped. This enforces a professional consistency and eases communication between managers, developers, marketers and customers.
Explanations
Explain your subject at a level the reader will understand and not at the technical level of the developer. For example, an engineer might refer to an "energy transfer station." If the user is a low-level consumer, you need to explain that term as the "battery compartment." The last person you should ask about user knowledge is the developer. He assumes everyone has as much technical knowledge as he does. Instead, direct your questions about the reader to the marketers, who are trained to see things from the buyers' point of view.
Software
If you're creating tool tips, help or other text designed for use within software, don't wait until the last minute to integrate your information into the program. Instead, ask the developer to program, from the beginning, references to placeholders. You can then initially fill each holder with the title of the intended text. This confirms that you've covered every control, option and task. It also ensures that his program refers to all the documentation you're providing.
Reviews
When sending a document out for review, include a form with questions that you would like the reviewer to answer. Sample questions might include, "Do the procedures on page 14 produce the results on page 15?" or, "What examples can you provide for 'Printing Errors' in Chapter 5?" This allows the reviewer to concentrate on specific issues rather than vaguely trying to find errors everywhere.
