Technical writers reduce pressure on the IT helpdesk
What is it?
Although most of us would admit to never reading a software manual,
bad documentation can limit the use the customer can make of a
product, swell helpdesk overheads, sour relations between supplier
and customer and can lead to lost business. Yet user documentation
is at the same stage as software testing before Y2K: it is often
done late and badly, if it is done at all.
Where did it originate?
Early systems documentation was written by IT professionals for
their peers for use in future development and maintenance, or for
technically literate operators or administrators. Technical specs
were simply restructured into something more accessible.
End-user computing demanded a different set of skills. The next
generation of technical writers were outsiders who came to a
project with the same need to understand as users did.
With the rise of online documentation and web-based help, technical
writers are once again expected to offer professional IT
skills.
What is it for?
Technical writing involves identifying everything a user may need
to know, presenting it in a language appropriate to the user's
level of technical ability, and organising the information in a way
that meets the needs of both the rare user who doggedly works their
way through, intent on understanding everything before they begin,
and of the user who needs to find a particular detail in a hurry.
What makes it special?
Online documentation and manuals provide the everyday face of the
software supplier, perhaps the only face the end-user
encounters.
Poor documentation means extra pressure on IT support, which adds
to ownership costs and influences future buying decisions.
How difficult is it to master?
You will need to be able to write clearly; to organise complex
information into a coherent structure; to persuade busy and often
prickly software developers to explain things to you; and to work
alone against tight deadlines. Some people will not see the point
of you, so you will need a thick skin.
You may need to be familiar with publishing packages such as Adobe
Framemaker and online help creation tools such as Robohelp, Winhelp
or Homesite.
There are proprietary methodologies for structuring documentation
such as information mapping and PTA's Docutools.
Where is it used?
Technical writing skills can be used in other industries including
oil, finance or aerospace. You could also break into marketing or
IT journalism.
What systems does it run on?
Hypertext is ideal for online help, but prolonged reading from a
screen is at least 30% slower than paper and can cause eyestrain.
What is coming up?
This year sees the publication of a new international standard, ISO
18019: "Guidelines for the design and preparation of user
documentation for application software".
Training
There are lots of free online sites offering varying quality of
information, but TechScribe has some good information.
Try the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators for a
list of courses. Universities and colleges offer diplomas and City
and Guilds qualifications, but beware of pseudo-academic
"institutions" offering unrecognised qualifications. Some technical
writing agencies also offer training.
www.TechScribe.co.uk
www.isct.org.uk
Rates of pay
Large companies have permanent writing teams who receive £20,000 to
£35,000, but most writers work on contracts or through agencies
where fees can vary widely.