Technical Writing Simplified

Technical Writing in India

2011-03-29T14:17:00.001+05:30

This article takes a look at the growth of technical communication as a profession in India and where it stands today!

Click http://www.tcworld.info/index.php?id=240 to read more.

Great Rules of Writing by William Saffire

2010-09-06T12:53:00.001+05:30

Do not put statements in the negative form.

And don't start sentences with a conjunction.

If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a

great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

De-accession euphemisms.

If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

89 Benefits of Good Documentation!

2010-09-05T10:49:00.002+05:30

A comprehensive list of benefits of all types of documentation: user, technical, project, process, organizational, training, and and and....

Do read it!

Importance of Standards in Documentation

2010-09-05T09:18:00.004+05:30

Standards play an important role is making documents usable and effective. This article explains the importance of standardization in document.

ibruk launches a "Subsea Awareness & Training Portal"

2010-08-24T10:25:00.000+05:30

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Subsea Awareness & Training Portal.

The portal uses up-to-date IT technology to present user friendly explanations of the concepts and products used for Subsea field developments, including 3D illustrations, diagrams, photos, videos and followed up by self assessment training. The library is based on the “Wikipedia” concept so users can add to the descriptions and content. The most up-to-date Subsea systems and products are illustrated and described, making Subsea1® the ideal place to search for information related to Subsea processes, tools and technology.

Content in King!!!

2010-03-04T14:09:00.001+05:30

A nice article from TC World.

Technical Writing in India: Interview with ibruk Consulting MD in Hindustan Times

2010-02-25T12:28:00.001+05:30

Aruna Panangipally, MD, ibruk Consulting was interviewed by Hindustan Times. In the interview, she discussed the advent of Technical Writing in India, among other things. To read the full interview, click here.

Another Look at Technical Writing

2010-02-02T14:56:00.002+05:30

Here is an article that explains technical writing in simple terms.

Enjoy!

ibruk Consulting featured in Cracking Careers, UTVI

2010-01-13T14:23:00.003+05:30

ibruk Consulting was featured in an episode of Cracking Careers in UTVi.

Technical Writing Rated as the 13th Best Job for 2010 by CareerCast

2010-01-07T09:45:00.008+05:30

2010 has started well for Technical Writing. It was growing into one of the most sought after jobs in 2009, and is ranked among the top 13 jobs in 2010 in North America. Careercast, a job search portal has analyzed the important aspects of a job like stress, income and environment to come up with the top jobs in 2010.

With the average annual income at 62000$, and the hiring outlook described as very good, Technical Writing is fast becoming a job to look out for.

Skills a Technical Writer Must Have

2010-01-04T11:27:00.004+05:30

Technical writing is a promising career option for those people who can write well and have an interest in learning about new things. While you will find that technical writing is an accepted skill in the IT and engineering fields, its influence in domains such as medical, pharma, and education is growing.

Like any profession, technical writing requires proficiency over certain skill sets. Some of the most valuable skills for a technical writer are:

Tools of the Trade
A technical writer must be proficient in the technical writing tools, so that they are efficient at their work, and also know what the tool is capable of. So of the popular technical writing tools are Microsoft Word, Adobe RoboHelp and Adobe FrameMaker.
Command Over Language
Technical writers should be proficient in the language in which documentation is to be created. They should be able to write clearly, precisely and concisely.
Information Gathering and Analysis
While documenting a solution, a technical writer has to gather information from a wide variety of sources such as reading existing documents, interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs), working with the solution, etc. The ability to analyze the information to determine what is relevant and useful is an important skill for a technical writer.
Audience and Task Analysis
Technical writers must understand the audience they are writing for, and the task to be explained. This will help them decide what kind of deliverable they will create, the information it must include and the language they should use. For example, while the operation of oil drilling equipment may be best explained through an interactive video or demonstration, a printed user guide is the best solution for a mass-market product such as a cell-phone.
Research
Strong researching skills help technical writers locate more information about the solution or the domain. This information helps them understand the solution better and add value to the documentation.
Domain Knowledge
Domain knowledge is invaluable in adding value to user documentation, and is a must for some forms of documentation such as technical reference manuals. Gaining domain knowledge reduces reliance on SMEs.
Visual Design
Technical writing is about making the information easy to understand. Hence, Effective use of page layout, tables, icons, schematics, graphs and charts make the technical documents more readable and usable.
Communication Skills
Good communication skills are a very important part of a technical writer’s toolkit as a technical writer has to interact with a diverse range of people; from project managers to engineers to graphic designers to end-users.
Creativity
Technical writers are increasingly contributing to technical marketing communications by writing for corporate websites, blogs, mailers, press releases, brochures, etc. These kinds of deliverables need technical writers to develop a level of creativity that will help them create engaging content that catches the attention of potential customers.

These are but a few of the skills that a technical writer needs. Among other skills that are valuable are project management and usability analysis.