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A Guide to Technical Writing (With Examples)

4-minute read

• 5th May 2023

You can find technical writing in lots of places, including in your home, at your job, in many industries, and in businesses of all sizes. If you need help with business writing specifically, check out how we can assist you .

In today’s post, we’ll break down what technical writing is and how to do it effectively. We’ll also provide some handy examples.

What Is Technical Writing?

Technical writing doesn’t always look very technical! It can be anything that describes how to do a task or how to operate a machine or system. Or it can cover a specialized topic. Technical writing includes recipes in your favorite cookbook, board game instructions, operator manuals, health and safety regulations, legal documents, and financial reports.

Instructions for Carrying Out a Task

This type of technical writing can be a recipe for a cake, the instructions for a board game, tips on how to walk your dog to heel, or the script for a social media video on how to cut your own hair.

Operating Manuals for Machinery, Appliances, or Systems

Technical writing can also be the user guide for a dishwasher, for a factory machine that makes cardboard boxes, a “how to” guide for spreadsheets, or instructions for changing the oil in your motorcycle.

Specialized Topics

The list here could be very, very long! Technical writing on specialized topics includes a company’s business reports, a medical consultant’s letter to a patient, health and safety regulations, employment policies, and legal documents.

So How Do I Produce a Great Piece of Technical Writing?

Let’s take it in three stages: Who? What? How?

Who Is It For?

In any type of writing, knowing your audience is important. This is particularly true of technical writing. Here are some examples of who might read technical writing:

·  A renter of an apartment that needs details on their lease

·  An electrical engineer who needs to know how the wiring is laid out in the apartment block

·  The janitor of that same building who needs to know the location of the emergency lights

·  The occupant of apartment 61, who needs to know how to use the oven in their kitchen

They all need information presented to them, but what information do they need?

What Do They Need?

The renter needs a legal document that leaves no room for doubt about their legal rights and obligations and those of their landlord. The document will be very detailed, containing terms that need careful explanation.

The electrical engineer needs accurate, clear information about the wiring, as they could get hurt or cause harm to someone else if the diagram is inaccurate.

The janitor needs clear directions and a map of where the emergency lights are.

The occupant of apartment 61 needs instructions that are written in plain English so they can use their oven safely.

How Should Technical Writing Be Composed?

Follow these steps when writing a technical document:

·  Research and know your subject thoroughly.

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·  Decide on the appropriate writing style. Just because it’s technical, doesn’t mean it has to contain lots of jargon . Be concise, be direct, and be straightforward.

·  Consider whether you need to include diagrams, maps, images, charts, and/or tables.

·  If writing instructions, take it one step at a time, write objectively , and make sure the instructions work!

Examples of Technical Writing

Let’s look at some examples:

The first version contains unnecessary words, but the warnings are not specific enough. The instructions should be concise and clear. In the second version, the danger is stated right away, and the critical warnings are concise and specific.

In these examples, the first version is unnecessarily wordy. It provides a lot of detail for minor tasks but gives vague instructions for bigger tasks. The second version is much clearer. The instructions are easier to follow, and they include each necessary step.

Good technical writing needs the following attributes:

1. Relevance

2. Accuracy

4. Accessibility

5. Simplicity

Really good technical writing will include these attributes every time.

Is technical writing difficult?

Technical writing does not have to be difficult if you follow our guide and do your research beforehand.

Are there professional bodies for technical writers?

There are several professional organizations for technical writing. This list from UTA Libraries is very useful.

What can I do if I’m not sure that my technical writing style is appropriate to my subject?

We have experts in many fields who can check your writing and advise on style .

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Technical writing standards, style and format.

When writing technical documents, engineers rely on style manuals, which provide standards for writing and designing documents. Style manuals ensure consistency in writing and formatting documents written for academic or workplace communications.

Academic disciplines, including academic journals, have their own style manuals. These style manuals are used in the production of theses, dissertations, or journal articles.

Organizations use company-specific style manuals that contain guidelines for producing technical documents, business correspondence, professional presentations, and visual features (trademarks and logos). Document format and punctuation rules are commonly found in these style manuals. Company-specific style manuals often contain templates, which are used when creating written technical documents (progress or status reports, design reports, proposals, etc.), correspondence (letters, memos, and emails), or presentation slides.

General Format Guidelines

The following guidelines represent generally accepted technical writing guidelines. As a reminder, guidelines may change based on the discipline, professor, employer, or journal the document is written for.

Technical documents typically contain:

• Single spacing
• Left justification; full justification is preferred for theses, dissertations, and journal articles.
• One blank line between paragraphs OR indented paragraphs with no blank line between
• Serif font (Times New Roman), 12 pt. font size. When documents are written for electronic media, however, a Sans Serif font (Calibri or Arial) is typically used.
• One-inch margins. Margins may need to be adjusted when using company letterhead or when binding formal reports.

Stylistic Elements

Writers of technical information take into account the audience’s level of knowledge regarding the topic and the purpose of the document. In other words, “Why does the reader need this information and what will they do with it?” The following guidelines help writers achieve a readable style.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words such as ASME for American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Acronyms are formed when the abbreviation forms a pronounceable word such as NATO for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Abbreviations and acronyms should be spelled out the first time they appear in a technical document with the shortened form appearing in parentheses immediately after the term. The abbreviation or acronym can then be used throughout the paper.

Example: The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication, content, and information management.

Common abbreviations (U.S.) or acronyms (NASA) do not need to be spelled out when first used in a document.

Ambiguity occurs when words or passages can be interpreted in more than one way. Abstract language, misplaced modifiers, and vague pronoun reference can cause ambiguity. To make writing clear, avoid:

• abstract language ( really, quite, severely, very )
• overusing pronouns, particularly it, these, and this
• imprecise or subjective terms ( fast, slow, tall, small )
• words that have no precise meaning ( bit )

Analogies and Metaphors

Analogies and metaphors in useful in technical writing to illustrate abstract or complicated ideas by making comparisons between two generally unlike things.

“When two atoms approach each other at great speeds, they go through one another, while at moderate speeds, they bound off each other like two billiard balls.” Sir William Bragg

Writing with the intended audience(s) in mind is one of the most fundamental concepts of technical writing. Many technical documents will not only be read by the first person (primary audience) but may also be read by secondary audiences: readers in various levels of management, prospective financiers, or even individuals who access information without the writer’s knowledge.

For this reason, it is important to consider who may read your documents beyond the primary audience and write with any additional audiences in mind. This means targeting information appropriate for the knowledge of the audience(s) and using accessible language that both technical and non-technical audiences can understand.

Cliches, or figures of speech, are terms that have no concrete meaning and can affect the tone and professionalism of a document. Cliches should be avoided in technical writing. Examples include:

• water under the bridge
• writing on the wall
• easier said than done
• close the deal

Conciseness

Concise documents convey meaning using the fewest words possible without sacrificing meaning or clarity. To achieve conciseness:

• Eliminate empty/wordy phrases ( there is/are and it is ). These are considered to be indirect phrases and tend to be unclear and wordy. Direct statements, on the other hand, are clear and concise. Instead of: “There are 25 students who have already expressed interest in next year’s program.” Use: “Twenty-five students have already expressed interest in next year’s program.”
• Write using the active voice Instead of: “It was determined that the machine was broken by John.” (10 words) Use: “John broke the machine.” (4 words)
• Avoid using weak verbs Instead of: My recommendation is for a larger budget. Use: I recommend a larger budget.
• Eliminate filler words (very, quite, really, somewhat, that)

Contractions

Contractions are shortened forms of words with the missing letters represented by an apostrophe such as “you’ll” for “you will” or “didn’t” for “did not.” Contractions are unprofessional and informal and should be avoided in most technical documents.

Generalized Statements

Generalizations are broad statements or ideas that are applied to a group of people or things and should be avoided in technical writing. These statements are difficult to substantiate and are too broad to be supported.

The only way to learn another language is to visit the country where it is spoken.

Cats are nicer than dogs.

Gender-Neutral Terms

Avoid specifying gender when possible. Gender specific language can create stereotypes, make generalizations, and exclude gender. Individuals should not be referred to solely as he or she . To achieve gender neutrality:

• Use generic terms when referring to specific groups of people (“supervisors”)
• Avoid gender-specific pronouns (“his” or “her”)
• Use gender-neutral titles when referring to people “(sales representatives” not “salesmen”
• A student should always do his homework. (not gender neutral)
• A student should always do his or her homework. (gender neutral)
• Students should always do their homework. (gender neutral)
• A student should always do their homework. (gender neutral) *

*While it may seem strange or incorrect to use the plural their to refer to a single student, their has become the preferred replacement in many places in order to ensure gender neutral language. It is no longer considered grammatically incorrect to use their as a singular pronoun in this context.

In technical reports, headings are used to organize documents, guide the reader, and break content into manageable chunks of information. Readers often peruse headings and read those sections that pertain to them.

Headings organize content into large sections (major headings) and then into smaller sections (sub-headings). Headings are formatted by level (first level, second level, third level, etc.) and vary in their position and formatting. Discipline- and employer-specific style manuals will provide guidelines in the placement and visual layout of headings. Headings vary in the type of information they provide:

• Brief topic headings use short words or phrases Example: College Applications
• Statement headings use sentences or phrases and are more informational in nature. Example: College Application Process
• Question headings are useful when writing documents that explain how to do something. Example: How do I Apply for College?

When using headings:

• Construct headings in a parallel fashion
• Try to avoid starting headings with a, an, or the
• Aim for at least two headings at each level; avoid dividing a section into a single sub-section if possible
• Avoid repeating the wording of a higher-level heading in a sub-heading
• Use headings to create the table of contents (if applicable to the document)

Jargon is often called professional slang and consists of terms specific to a particular organization. Examples of jargon include terms like “flame” or “FUBAR.” Jargon sets members of an organization apart from non-members. When communicating with individuals who are likely to be unfamiliar with jargon, avoid using the term.

Lists are useful in technical writing for three purposes: to write a series of related items, to describe a series of tasks, and to make items visually accessible. Lists can be written in a sentence (as in the previous sentence) or set off from the text vertically. Items listed vertically are prefaced with a bullet, number, or checkmark. Bulleted lists make items easy to see or locate, numbered lists organize steps in a process, and checklists communicate items that need are required or need to be completed.

Lists are prefaced with a lead-in phrase ( Items to review for the training: ) or sentence ( The following topics will be reviewed at the training: )

Key points to keep in mind when creating lists:

• Lists should be constructed in a parallel fashion.
• Lists comprised of brief items typically contain no ending punctuation.
• Lists with no sequence required should be arranged logically (most to least important, alphabetical)
• Lists written as full sentences should use appropriate ending punctuation.

Narration (Point of View)

When writing, it is important to use appropriate tense and narration. Engineers often write to explain how something happened: a lab procedure, a site visit, an accident, a recommendation.

Third person narration is most often the appropriate choice in technical documents and academic journals, but in some cases it might be appropriate to use first or second person (common in business correspondence).

Examples: First person narration , “I” words are used. I should get good grades in college. We should get good grades in college. Second person narration , “You” words are used. You should get good grades in college. Third person narration , “he/she/neutral” words are used. A student should get good grades in college.

Students should get good grades in college.

Objectivity

Technical documents present facts, data, evidence, calculations, results, and theories, which must be presented in an impersonal, neutral, and objective manner. Avoid use of the word “feelings” or the verb “feel” in technical writing.

Phrases such as “I feel this is the best approach” evokes emotion, is not objective, and can lend uncertainty to technical writing. Similarly, “When the weight feels right” should not be used in describing inanimate objects.

Paragraphs are the building blocks of documents. It is important to keep in mind the basic elements of paragraph construction: each paragraph should contain a topic sentence that is well-developed and supported, discuss one idea, and transition to the next paragraph.

In technical writing, paragraphs are generally kept to 4-6 lines. Short paragraphs emphasize main ideas, encourage conciseness, keep the reader’s attention, and break up content into manageable chunks.

Parallelism

Parallelism means using the same structure for listed items. These items can occur in a sentence, in a table, in a bulleted or numbered list, or in headings. Sentences with parallel structure are easier to read and flow more smoothly.

When creating a bullet list, all items in the list should be parallel in construction.

Redundancy means using two or more words that essentially mean the same thing. Redundancy affects conciseness.

• a new innovation
• absolutely true
• red in color
• cylindrical in shape

SI versus Customary Units

Systeme Internationale (SI) units are the most widely and officially recognized system of metric units for weights, dimensions, and other physical measures in technical writing. Technical documents should use SI units in text, figures, tables, and equations.

Sentence Length

In technical writing, uncomplicated sentences are used to state complex ideas. Long, complex sentences tend to confuse readers. Strive for a sentence length of 10-20 words. A document should not be constructed, however, of short, choppy sentences. Varying sentence length can encourage readability, make comparisons, and contrast information.

Technical Terms and Definitions

When introducing a technical term in a document, italicize and provide a brief explanation of the term the first time it is used. There are generally three types of technical definitions: informal, formal, and expanded.

Informal definitions contain a word or brief phrase, often in parentheses, that gives minimal information about the term.

“At the southwest corner of the mall site, we found 16 barrels of creosote (a coal tar derivative) buried under three feet of sand.”

Formal definitions are typically a full sentence that distinguishes the term from other similar terms and includes the term itself, a class to which the term belongs, and distinguishing feature(s) of the term, which typically describe what the term does.

If the technical term has unclear or multiple meanings, add a qualifier to the beginning of the definition.

Tone refers to the feeling or attitude a document evokes; tone can also portray how the writer feels about a subject. Tone can be dependent on the purpose, audience, or medium of the message. Strive for neutral, professional, understandable words. Because engineers deal with complex information and terminology, word usage should be accessible and familiar.

Voice (Active or Passive)

Voice refers to how verbs are used in sentences. Although passive voice has long been a hallmark of technical writing, writing in the active voice is a preferred practice. Active voice makes documents more readable by making sentences more clear and concise. Passive voice is still used for certain types of technical documents such as lab reports.

When the verb is in the active voice, the subject performs the action; when the verb is used in the passive voice, the subject receives the action.

The boy hit the ball.

The ball was hit by the boy.

Hint: Watch for phrasing patterns common to passive voice: “was (verb)ed by….”

Use active voice when:

• writing most technical documents.
• writing needs to be concise, clear, and direct.
• it is important to know the “doer” of the sentence.

Use passive voice when:

• the genre (format) calls for passive voice (lab reports)
• the action itself is more important than who or what performed the action or when the doer of the action is unknown.

Word Choice

Words should be used that are accessible and familiar to your audiences, both primary and secondary. This means using a shorter, more well-known word in place of a longer, less-known word with the same meaning.

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11 Technical Writing Examples & Samples in 2024

• Published: October 21, 2021
• Updated: September 16, 2024

For any organization, there is a need for technical writers to provide easy-to-understand technical documentation to help explain complex processes for its products end-users, customers, and internal workforce. 

Many organizations are a renewed focus on developing the technical writing skills of their writers and product managers. According to the U.S. Department of Labour Statistics, employment for technical content writing is expected to grow at a 12% faster rate between 2020-2030 in comparison to the overall average of other writing occupations.

With different industries having various technical writing needs (ie. in format types, tone, complexity, etc.), analyzing industry-leading technical writing examples from other companies can provide a roadmap and inspiration for new technical writers. 

What Are Common Examples of Technical Writing?

• User Manuals
• Software Installation Guides
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• API Documentation
• Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Press Release
• Case Studies & White Papers
• Company Documents
• Requests for Proposals
• Annual Reports
• Business Plans

What Is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is a niche, user-centric form of writing used to disseminate information on technical or specialized topics, such as software applications, environmental regulations, or medical procedures. This writing style simplifies complex information and processes, allowing readers to use that information for an intended purpose – such as using technology, executing a project, onboarding a user, exemplifying a complex process, or informing a large audience.

Types of Technical Writing

Technical writing majorly falls into fourr categories:

1. End-User Technical Writing

End-user documentation aims to empower the user of a product by helping them understand the core functionality of a product and how to solve common troubleshooting issues. This form of writing is observed in types of technical documentation such as user manuals, legal disclaimers, employee handbooks, and website help centers.

2. Expert-to-Expert Technical Writing

A niche style of technical writing, this documentation includes types such as research summaries, legal documents, and white papers. These technical writing examples are written by experts, for experts, to help them dive deeper into a complex, industry-specific topic. 

3. Process Documentation Writing

Process documentation is a form of technical writing that is designed for internal use by organizations to share knowledge on how to complete a task, with an emphasis on creating consistent, company-wide procedures. Examples of this type of technical writing include step-by-step process guides, internal wikis, KPI and goal reporting, OKRs, and HR policies.

4. Technical Marketing Communications

Most technical marketing communications fall under the B2B (business to business) writing umbrella. A technical writer needs to communicate their expertise in user-friendly language to help drive brand awareness and help prospective customers understand the product’s core benefits. Examples of companies using technical marketing writing include competitive analysis documents, in-depth case studies, marketing landing pages , informative articles, and business emails to promote or sell their services and products.

What’s the Difference Between Business Writing & Technical Writing?

Technical writing is often confused with business writing. Although both writing styles share similarities, writers can’t use them interchangeably. Both writing styles adhere to formal, specific, and concise language to convey the intent. There is an additional use of bulleted and numbered lists for an easier-to-read content structure. 

Technical writing maintains a neutral, competent tone throughout its documentation, as the sole purpose of technical writing is to clearly explain complex topics to a non-technical reader. However, in business writing, the tone varies depending on the target reader. For example, a proposal requires persuasive language to highlight the factual aspects of a bid, while an external email to a new client requires a professional, yet warm tone. 

PRO TIP : To decide the writing style, answer a simple question. Is my writing intended to communicate the desired purpose or an instruction?

11 Examples of Technical Writing in 2024

Here are 11 examples of common technical writing documents – with real-world samples for you to use as inspiration for your business’s technical writing needs.

1. User Manuals

User guides are instruction training manuals written for novice end-users to help them with products ranging from consumer products such as electronics or appliances to B2B SaaS tools and solutions. These manuals are user-friendly and well-illustrated to highlight common issues and features.

Additionally, technical writers must collaborate with engineers, programmers, and product designers to cover all the bases. 

2. Software Installation Guides

Computer software must be equipped with software documentation , such as installation guides, to assist users through the software implementation and installation process.

A well-written installation guide must include detailed workflows, video tutorials, FAQs, and a troubleshooting guide. Often the programmers automate the process, and the technical writer authors alert boxes and the ReadMe file.

Software installation guides can be easily created, published, and maintained with software documentation tools .

3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are holistic processes to help employees work in unison and accomplish various tasks in an organization. SOPs are a form of process documentation that ensures smoother internal operations and workflows by making business processes more efficient and economical. Examples of an SOP document include anything from payroll processing to manufacturing guidelines.

4. API Documentation

API documentation helps your customers’ developers interact easily with a product’s code to implement an API effectively. It contains instructions and tutorials to simplify integration with other APIs such as web-API, software API, and SCPIs.

5. Service Level Agreements (SLA)

An SLA is a legally binding contract between a provider and a customer that outlines services, guarantees, warranties, and other mutually negotiated items between the two parties.

Source: BMC

6. Press Releases

Press releases are formal and factual documents issued by an organization to make business-related announcements.

They are short and factual documents that highlight how the announcement impacts users and external stakeholders of the organization. This technical document has a specific format and includes a headline, overview of the information, company’s contact information, and direct quotes from internal stakeholders like the CEO.

Source: Apple

7. Case Studies & Whitepapers

Case studies & whitepapers are industry-specific documents that provide real-world examples testifying to an organization’s expertise and value, and are used for lead generation purposes.

Case studies are instance-specific documents written in passive voice and offer key takeaways, often using data to highlight its benefits. In comparison, whitepapers address a specific challenge and are written in an active voice. Technical writers authoring such documents should possess in-depth knowledge about the industry for effective writing.

Source: Whatfix

8. Company Documents

Company HR documents such as employee handbooks and orientation manuals require a perfect combination of technical writing skills and organizational knowledge. These documents are of immense help during the initial phases of employee onboarding and provide continuous support for ongoing employee development and general assistance.

9. Request for Proposal (RFP)

An RFP is a business document that announces a project and solicits bids from multiple qualifying contractors. The writing style of this document is persuasive, and a poorly-written RFP document can ensure whether or not the deal will be successful. A well-written RFP must clearly highlight the project goals, challenges, scope of work, and evaluation metrics.

Source: Venngage

10. Annual Reports

Annual reports are exhaustive documents that indicate a company’s financial health and yearly performance. These reports are of prime importance to the organizations seeking investors’ trust and include stock performance, financial information, new product information, and strategic developments.

Source: Tesla

11. Business Plans

Every organization starts with a detailed business plan to secure funding and requires an update during expansion phases. A business plan must include the following sections:

• Executive Summary: This section provides an overview of the business plan, target market, and purpose.   
• Product Description: The product or service description includes a brief about the offering, its USP, and the development stage.
• SWOT Analysis:   A complete analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the business. 
• Market Research: This section includes a detailed analysis of all the competitors and product potential in the target market. 
• Organizational System: Before the initial start-up, it is crucial to clarify the organizational hierarchy and team members to support the business.  
• Schedule: This section highlights the implementation schedule and includes start date, hiring, and investment milestones. 
• Financial Planning: This is the most critical section and highlights the viability of the business plan. It includes income statements, projected revenues, balance sheets, and liquidity measures.
• Appendix: The appendix consists of any other additional and relevant information such as patents.

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Technical writing is an analytical form of writing where attention to detail is paramount. Unlike creative writing, technical writing doesn’t need to invoke the reader’s emotions – but instead, its goal is to convey complex information in an easy-to-read, digestible form. 

Technical writing doesn’t negate creativity. It’s a subtle form of writing which needs to be highly user-centric and understandable.

Technical writing tools such as Whatfix help you author impactful technical documents in a way that encourages interaction and retention. With Whatfix, technical writers create on-screen guides, pop-up prompts, tooltips, chatbots, in-app knowledge bases, and more to inform users how to use your product. A technical writer’s goal should be to create documents that promote your product effectively and to make those documents easy and fun to read.  

Learn how Whatfix can help create the interactive product and process walkthroughs you need now!  

Technical Writing for Beginners – An A-Z Guide to Tech Blogging Basics

If you love writing and technology, technical writing could be a suitable career for you. It's also something else you can do if you love tech but don’t really fancy coding all day long.

Technical writing might also be for you if you love learning by teaching others, contributing to open source projects and teaching others how to do so, too, or basically enjoy explaining complex concepts in simple ways through your writing.

Let's dive into the fundamentals and learn about what you should know and consider when getting started with technical writing.

Table of Contents

In this article, we’ll be looking at:

• What Technical writing is

Benefits of Technical Writing

• Necessary skills to have as a Technical Writer

The Technical Writing Process

• Platforms for publishing your articles

Technical Writing Courses

• Technical Writing forums and communities
• Some amazing technical writers to follow
• Final Words and references

What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is the art of providing detail-oriented instruction to help users understand a specific skill or product.

And a technical writer is someone who writes these instructions, otherwise known as technical documentation or tutorials. This could include user manuals, online support articles, or internal docs for coders/API developers.

A technical writer communicates in a way that presents technical information so that the reader can use that information for an intended purpose.

Technical writers are lifelong learners. Since the job involves communicating complex concepts in simple and straightforward terms, you must be well-versed in the field you're writing about. Or be willing to learn about it.

This is great, because with each new technical document you research and write, you will become an expert on that subject.

Technical writing also gives you a better sense of user empathy. It helps you pay more attention to what the readers or users of a product feel rather than what you think.

You can also make money as a technical writer by contributing to organizations. Here are some organizations that pay you to write for them , like Smashing Magazine , AuthO , Twilio , and Stack Overflow .

In addition to all this, you can contribute to Open Source communities and participate in paid open source programs like Google Season of Docs and Outreachy .

You can also take up technical writing as a full time profession – lots of companies need someone with those skills.

Necessary Skills to Have as a Technical Writer

Understand the use of proper english.

Before you consider writing, it is necessary to have a good grasp of English, its tenses, spellings and basic grammar. Your readers don't want to read an article riddled with incorrect grammar and poor word choices.

Know how to explain things clearly and simply

Knowing how to implement a feature doesn't necessarily mean you can clearly communicate the process to others.

In order to be a good teacher, you have to be empathetic, with the ability to teach or describe terms in ways suitable for your intended audience.

If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself. Albert Einstein

Possess some writing skills‌‌

I believe that writers are made, not born. And you can only learn how to write by actually writing.

You might never know you have it in you to write until you put pen to paper. And there's only one way to know if you have some writing skills, and that's by writing.

So I encourage you to start writing today. You can choose to start with any of the platforms I listed in this section to stretch your writing muscles.

And of course, it is also a huge benefit to have some experience in a technical field.

Analyze and Understand who your Readers are

The biggest factor to consider when you're writing a technical article is your intended/expected audience. It should always be at the forefront of your mind.

A good technical writer writes based on the reader’s context. As an example , let's say you're writing an article targeted at beginners. It is important not to assume that they already know certain concepts.

You can start out your article by outlining any necessary prerequisites. This will make sure that your readers have (or can acquire) the knowledge they need before diving right into your article.

You can also include links to useful resources so your readers can get the information they need with just a click.

In order to know for whom you are writing, you have to gather as much information as possible about who will use the document.

It is important to know if your audience has expertise in the field, if the topic is totally new to them, or if they fall somewhere in between.

Your readers will also have their own expectations and needs. You must determine what the reader is looking for when they begin to read the document and what they'll get out of it.

To understand your reader, ask yourself the following questions before you start writing:

• Who are my readers?
• What do they need?
• Where will they be reading?
• When will they be reading?
• Why will they be reading?
• How will they be reading?

These questions also help you think about your reader's experience while reading your writing, which we'll talk about more now.

Think About User Experience

User experience is just as important in a technical document as it is anywhere on the web.

Now that you know your audience and their needs, keep in mind how the document itself services their needs. It’s so easy to ignore how the reader will actually use the document.

As you write, continuously step back and view the document as if you're the reader. Ask yourself: Is it accessible? How will your readers be using it? When will they be using it? Is it easy to navigate?

The goal is to write a document that is both useful to and useable by your readers.

Plan Your Document

Bearing in mind who your users are, you can then conceptualize and plan out your document.

This process includes a number of steps, which we'll go over now.

Conduct thorough research about the topic

While planning out your document, you have to research the topic you're writing about. There are tons of resources only a Google search away for you to consume and get deeper insights from.

Don't be tempted to lift off other people's works or articles and pass it off as your own, as this is plagiarism. Rather, use these resources as references and ideas for your work.

Google as much as possible, get facts and figures from research journals, books or news, and gather as much information as you can about your topic. Then you can start making an outline.

Make an outline

Outlining the content of your document before expanding on it helps you write in a more focused way. It also lets you organize your thoughts and achieving your goals for your writing.

An outline can also help you identify what you want your readers to get out of the document. And finally, it establishes a timeline for completing your writing.

Get relevant graphics/images

Having an outline is very helpful in identifying the various virtual aids (infographics, gifs, videos, tweets) you'll need to embed in different sections of your document.

And it'll make your writing process much easier if you keep these relevant graphics handy.

Write in the Correct Style

Finally, you can start to write! If you've completed all these steps, writing should become a lot easier. But you still need to make sure your writing style is suitable for a technical document.

The writing needs to be accessible, direct, and professional. Flowery or emotional text is not welcome in a technical document. To help you maintain this style, here are some key characteristics you should cultivate.

Use Active Voice

It's a good idea to use active voices in your articles, as it is easier to read and understand than the passive voice.

Active voice means that the subject of the sentence is the one actively performing the action of the verb. Passive voice means that a subject is the recipient of a verb's action .

Here's an example of passive voice : The documentation should be read six times a year by every web developer.

And here's an example of active voice : Every web developer should read this documentation 6 times a year.

Choose Your Words Carefully

Word choice is important. Make sure you use the best word for the context. Avoid overusing pronouns such as ‘it’ and ‘this’ as the reader may have difficulty identifying which nouns they refer to.

Also avoid slang and vulgar language – remember you're writing for a wider audience whose disposition and cultural inclinations could differ from yours.

Avoid Excessive Jargon

If you’re an expert in your field, it can be easy to use jargon you're familiar with without realizing that it may be confusing to other readers.

You should also avoid using acronyms you haven't previously explained.

Here's an Example :

Less clear: PWAs are truly considered the future of multi-platform development. Their availability on both Android and iOS makes them the app of the future.

Improved: Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) are truly the future of multi-platform development. Their availability on both Android and iOS makes PWAs the app of the future.

Use Plain Language

Use fewer words and write in a way so that any reader can understand the text.‌‌ Avoid big lengthy words. Always try to explain concepts and terms in the clearest way possible.

Visual Formatting

A wall of text is difficult to read. Even the clearest instructions can be lost in a document that has poor visual representation.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This rings true even in technical writing.

But not just any image is worthy of a technical document. Technical information can be difficult to convey in text alone. A well-placed image or diagram can clarify your explanation.

People also love visuals, so it helps to insert them at the right spots. Consider the images below:

First, here's a blog snippet without visuals:

Here's a snippet of same blog, but with visuals:

Adding images to your articles makes the content more relatable and easier to understand. In addition to images, you can also use gifs, emoji, embeds (social media, code) and code snippets where necessary.

Thoughtful formatting, templates, and images or diagrams will also make your text more helpful to your readers. You can check out the references below for a technical writing template from @Bolajiayodeji.

Do a Careful Review

Good writing of any type must be free from spelling and grammatical errors. These errors might seem obvious, but it's not always easy to spot them (especially in lengthy documents).

Always double-check your spelling (you know, dot your Is and cross your Ts) before hitting 'publish'.

There are a number of free tools like Grammarly and the Hemingway app that you can use to check for grammar and spelling errors. You can also share a draft of your article with someone to proofread before publishing.

Where to Publish Your Articles

Now that you've decided to take up technical writing, here are some good platforms where you can start putting up technical content for free. They can also help you build an appealing portfolio for future employers to check out.

Dev.to is a community of thousands of techies where both writers and readers get to meaningfully engage and share ideas and resources.

Hashnode is my go-to blogging platform with awesome perks such as custom domain mapping and an interactive community. Setting up a blog on this platform is also easy and fast.

freeCodeCamp has a very large community and audience reach and is a great place to publish your articles. However, you'll need to apply to write for their publication with some previous writing samples.

Your application could either be accepted or rejected, but don't be discouraged. You can always reapply later as you get better, and who knows? You could get accepted.

If you do write for them, they'll review and edit your articles before publishing, to make sure you publish the most polished article possible. They'll also share your articles on their social media platforms to help more people read them.

Hackernoon has over 7,000 writers and could be a great platform for you to start publishing your articles to the over 200,000 daily readers in the community.

Hacker Noon supports writers by proofreading their articles before publishing them on the platform, helping them avoid common mistakes.

Just like in every other field, there are various processes, rules, best practices, and so on in Technical Writing.

Taking a course on technical writing will help guide you through every thing you need to learn and can also give you a major confidence boost to kick start your writing journey.

Here are some technical writing courses you can check out:

• Google Technical Writing Course (Free)
• Udemy Technical Writing Course (Paid)
• Hashnode Technical Writing Bootcamp (Free)

Technical Writing Forums and Communities

Alone we can do so little, together, we can do so much ~ Helen Keller

Being part of a community or forum along with people who share same passion as you is beneficial. You can get feedback, corrections, tips and even learn some style tips from other writers in the community.

Here are some communities and forums for you to join:

• Technical Writing World
• Technical Writer Forum
• Write the Docs Forum

Some Amazing Technical Writers to follow

In my technical writing journey, I've come and followed some great technical writers whose writing journey, consistency, and style inspire me.

These are the writers whom I look up to and consider virtual mentors on technical writing. Sometimes, they drop technical writing tips that I find helpful and have learned a lot from.

Here are some of those writers (hyperlinked with their twitter handles):

• Quincy Larson
• Edidiong Asikpo
• Catalin Pit
• Victoria Lo
• Bolaji Ayodeji
• Amruta Ranade
• Chris Bongers
• Colby Fayock

Final words

You do not need a degree in technical writing to start putting out technical content. You can start writing on your personal blog and public GitHub repositories while building your portfolio and gaining practical experience.

Really – Just Start Writing.

Practice by creating new documents for existing programs or projects. There are a number of open source projects on GitHub that you can check out and add to their documentation.

Is there an app that you love to use, but its documentation is poorly written? Write your own and share it online for feedback. You can also quickly set up your blog on hashnode and start writing.

You learn to write by writing, and by reading and thinking about how writers have created their characters and invented their stories. If you are not a reader, don't even think about being a writer. - Jean M. Auel

Technical writers are always learning . By diving into new subject areas and receiving external feedback, a good writer never stops honing their craft.

Of course, good writers are also voracious readers. By reviewing highly-read or highly-used documents, your own writing will definitely improve.

Can't wait to see your technical articles!

Introduction to Technical Writing ‌‌

How to structure a technical article ‌‌

Understanding your audience, the why and how

‌‌ Technical Writing template

I hope this was helpful. If so, follow me on Twitter and let me know!

Hey there! You're welcome to my blog - Here I pen down articles specifically targeted at newbies in tech and front end web development and technical writing. If you're an expert, you could also use a thing or two.

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Technical Writing for Engineers [The Ultimate Guide & Course]

Table of Contents

Challenges versus benefits of technical writing in engineering, challenge #1: communicating technical knowledge, benefit #1: increased clarity and communication, challenge #2: “but no one ever reads it ... ”, benefit #2: valuable career skill, challenge #3: making time for writing, benefit #3: records and completes work, conclusion and further reading.

Technical writing or editing in engineering is important for effectively communicating essential information. Enhancing technical writing skills can result in improved operations, employee training, and client and stakeholder relationships.

Engineers often believe technical writing to be highly-detailed documentation for fellow engineers. In fact, technical writing is a style that takes complex information and clearly explains it to a specific audience.

This article will outline how the challenges of technical writing can become benefits and identify strategies for engineers to achieve great technical writing. We also offer a course that teaches technical writing to engineers. 

Communicating technical information can be just as important as developing it. Adding technical writing skills to your toolkit will add a surprising amount of value to your career.

Writing is an important part of the engineering process. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your writing, this guide takes you through engineers’ common writing challenges, the benefits of overcoming them, and tangible solutions to help you do just that.

Engineers at Shell, Boeing, & DuPont have taken our technical writing courses.

If you’ve ever wondered why your boss or technician hasn’t understood the importance of a particular concept, the problem is likely communication . When too many technical details are presented in a report or other document, the crucial ones can get buried.

Engineers often write technical documents as if their audience were fellow engineers. However, the audience is always changing. The reader of one document may be an expert while the reader of your next document may be a business-minded executive or a consumer.

Writing for a non-engineering audience is a significant, important challenge.

Good writing by an engineer will increase communication effectiveness. Directing your writing to the intended audience will allow the reader to understand the content on the first read, rather than needing to ask for additional details or explanation.

By understanding the audience’s goal in reading the document, can highlight the important data. Technical writing training teaches you to communicate only the most crucial supplementary or background information in your documents. The information that is needed for a decision, instruction, or education must take center stage.

Good technical writing will save time, avoid misunderstandings, and increase workplace efficiency by promoting good communication between engineers and other staff.

Solution: Use a technical writing style

There is a major misconception that a complex and scholarly text is good technical writing. However, the opposite is true. Elaborate text often confuses the reader and conceals the purpose.

Keeping the information accessible is most important. Technical writing uses the simplest and most direct language to convey the information. The tone is neutral and professional.

To achieve this tone, use the active voice in your writing. Choose your words carefully so you use the fewest words possible while being precise. Avoid jargon and use clearly-explained terms instead. These strategies will create a text that effectively communicates technical details.

Solution: Enhance with graphics

Good graphics support good writing. Include diagrams or schematics where they add value and increase reader comprehension. They should be directly referenced within the text and clearly explained in a caption.

Some engineers get frustrated by the fact that their reports gather dust. Documenting can seem like a customary process with no real value. Why write a text that will never be read?

The problem is not with the reader but with the text itself. Technical documents that bury crucial information or are difficult to understand can delay reading, decision-making, or worse, be altogether overlooked.

A good technical document is written for a specific purpose and defined audience. Therefore, it is written to be read.

Imagine how many crucial details get buried in elaborate yet inaccessible engineering reports. These reports make the readers hunt for the information they need. Engineers who can convey that essential information improve communication inside companies. Better communication ultimately increases efficiency and productivity.  See how technical writing training will improve your company's ROI.

For this reason, employers view engineers with good communication and technical writing skills as highly valuable. Technical prowess is not enough. Technical writing can differentiate your skillset, leading to better employment prospects and higher job security . 

Solution: Know your audience

Ignoring the audience is one of the biggest writing mistakes for engineers. The reader will be different for each document. To write well, you must know their knowledge of the field, their relationship to the department or company, and their purpose for reading.

In planning, ask yourself, "Who is my reader?" Then, write out this information so that you are aware of it and have a constant visual reminder.

Keeping the audience in mind will change how you write your document. While you’re writing, ask yourself, "Would my reader understand this text?" If the answer is no, re-write it. If the answer is yes, you are producing good technical writing.

Solution: Plan effectively

A technical document without a plan is like a ship without a captain. It is difficult to navigate and takes a long time to reach its goal (if ever!).

As an engineer, you will have a deep understanding of the topic. For most reports, the reader needs to know only a fraction of your expertise. The planning process is crucial for separating the information that needs to be included from the rest.

Be wary of details. The reader generally needs to know the implication of high-level specifications, not the specifications themselves. Once you’ve highlighted the necessary information, it can be organized into a coherent overview.

Planning can take many forms. We recommend using a mind-map to capture and visualize the document. Other writers may prefer a pen-and-paper sketch or a spreadsheet outline. The format does not matter so long as it allows an effective and efficient plan for your document.

Instructor feedback is included in our Technical Report Writing Course.

Writing often takes a back seat to ‘real’ work. Sometimes, there are not enough hours in the day to complete technical work, let alone write it down. Documenting can feel secondary, and therefore gets little time allocated to it. It can be helpful to set aside time for writing without distractions. Don’t wait until the end of the day to write your documents. Additionally, having a quiet space can ensure you are focused without distractions.

Great work does not share itself. The most innovative concepts can be lost if they exist only in the laboratory. Technical writing records engineering work and allows it to reach beyond the engineering department.

In addition, documentation provides a mark of completion. Some projects have a clear endpoint, while others can be vague. Documenting, including outstanding work for the future, finalizes a project.

Solution: Prioritize writing

Writing should not be an afterthought. For each major activity, documentation should be integrated into project management and time planning.

By considering writing as part of the engineering process , creating the text will feel less onerous and more natural. Do not leave the writing to the last minute, as rushed writing is generally bad writing. Carve out time to plan, write and review the document.

Solution: Engage in the review cycle

As you get ready to review, take advantage of the available software tools. Check your text through both Microsoft Word’s Spelling and Grammar check with its Readability tool and the online Grammarly tool. Then, review the document again with the audience in mind. The most effective trick is to read the text aloud. Reading will highlight awkward phrases, unnecessary words, and repetition.

The review process takes many forms. Most engineering companies have an internal review process using some variation of the first draft-revised draft-final version. The revisions are completed by colleagues, supervisors, or fellow experts. Understand the company’s review process and integrate it into your writing timeline.

The review provides a fresh perspective. Feedback and edits improve the document and offer valuable lessons for future writing. Take advantage of this learning opportunity.

The review process can also be informal. If the executive you’re preparing the document for and your best friend have a similar level of knowledge of the topic, ask your friend to review your text. Friends and family can be a great resource to review your text for non-expert readability and accessibility. You can also ask your colleagues to do an initial review before sending it to the formal review.

Additionally, many engineering firms offer technical writing courses for their employees . These courses often come with document feedback and review. This allows you to receive objective feedback on the structure, style, and tone of your writing.

Good technical writing shines a light on important engineering work. Improving technical writing is not an overnight process but one that provides big value to your work, company, and career.

To learn more, check out the following link:

• Engineer’s Guide to Technical Writing by K. Budinski

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Technical Writing: Definition, Examples, and Tips for Aspiring Writers

Technical writing is a specialized form of communication that plays a crucial role in various industries, from software development to manufacturing. Whether you're drafting a user manual for a new product or creating documentation for an API, technical writing ensures that complex information is conveyed clearly and effectively.

What is technical writing?

Technical writing is the art of conveying complex information in a clear, concise, and accessible manner. It's a specialized form of writing that focuses on making complex ideas easy to understand for a specific audience. Whether it's a manual, a report, or a set of instructions, the goal of technical writing is to explain technical information in a way that anyone can follow.

Key characteristics of technical writing

Clarity is paramount in technical writing, ensuring that the information is easy to understand. Precision is equally important, as every detail must be accurate. Conciseness helps to deliver the message without unnecessary elaboration, keeping the document as brief as possible while still being comprehensive. Understanding the audience is crucial, as the content must be shaped to meet their specific needs and level of understanding.

Technical writing definition

Technical writing refers to the process of documenting complex information, typically involving technical or specialized subjects, in a structured and accessible format. Unlike other forms of writing, technical writing is highly focused on conveying information without ambiguity, often incorporating visual aids like diagrams and charts to enhance understanding.

Differences between technical writing and other forms of writing

Technical writing differs from other writing styles in several key ways. Its primary purpose is to inform and instruct, rather than to entertain or persuade. The audience for technical writing is typically more specialized, requiring precise and accurate information tailored to their needs. The style of technical writing is formal and structured, emphasizing clarity and accuracy over creative expression.

Technical writing examples

Technical writing is pervasive across many fields, and the different forms of technical writing are as varied as the industries that rely on it.

Instruction manuals  are common examples of technical writing. These guides help users understand how to operate a product, providing step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs)  are another example.  SOPs  outline the step-by-step processes necessary to perform tasks within an organization, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

API documentation  is crucial in the software industry, offering detailed explanations on how to use an Application Programming Interface (API), often including code examples and technical specifications.

White papers  are in-depth reports on specific topics, commonly used in business and academic settings to inform and influence decisions.

Case studies  analyze specific instances within a business or field, demonstrating principles or strategies in action.

Types of technical writing

Technical writing encompasses various types of documentation, each serving different purposes.

End-user documentation  includes manuals and help guides created for consumers of a product or service, explaining how to use the product effectively. For example, the instruction booklet that comes with a new smartphone guides the user through setup, basic functions, and troubleshooting.

Technical reports  are detailed documents that present data, research findings, or technical specifications, often used in scientific or engineering fields. An example would be an environmental impact assessment report that outlines the potential effects of a proposed construction project on the local ecosystem.

Proposals  are documents that outline plans or suggestions for projects, commonly used in business or academic environments to seek approval or funding. For instance, a  grant proposal  written by a researcher might detail the objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes of a study, aiming to secure funding from a government agency.

Instructional materials  are educational content designed to teach or instruct users on specific topics or processes, often used in training or academic settings. An example is a training manual for employees in a corporate setting, which might cover company procedures, software usage, or safety protocols.

Skills required for technical writing

Becoming a successful technical writer requires a diverse skill set that combines writing proficiency with technical expertise.

Writing and editing  are fundamental skills. A technical writer must be able to write clearly and edit content for clarity and correctness, ensuring that the final document is free of errors. Strong grammar, syntax, and language skills are crucial for producing polished and professional documents.

Research and analysis  are also critical technical writing skills. A technical writer must be able to gather and analyze information from various sources, synthesizing complex information into an accessible format. This includes evaluating the credibility of sources and translating technical jargon into language that can be easily understood by the target audience.

Attention to detail  is essential in technical writing. Precision in writing is crucial, as even small errors can lead to misunderstandings or inaccuracies. This skill is vital for ensuring that all technical specifications, instructions, and data are accurate and consistent throughout the document.

Knowledge of tools and software  is increasingly important. Familiarity with tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and specialized software like MadCap Flare or Adobe Acrobat is often required to create and manage technical documentation. Understanding these tools allows a technical writer to efficiently format, organize, and present information in a professional and user-friendly manner.

Steps to become a technical writer

Breaking into the field of technical writing involves several steps that can help you build a successful career. Here are some steps to help you land that technical writing job you've been eyeing:

Education and qualifications  are the foundation. A degree in English, communications, or a technical field can be beneficial, and specialized courses in technical writing can provide a solid foundation.

Building a portfolio  is essential. Start by creating samples of your work, such as user guides or instructional materials, to showcase your writing skills and demonstrate your ability to handle technical content.

Gaining industry experience  is crucial for developing your skills and understanding the field. Entry-level positions, internships, or freelance projects can provide valuable experience and help you build a network of contacts.

Networking and professional development  are also important. Joining professional organizations, attending conferences, and participating in online forums can help you build connections, stay updated on industry trends, and find new opportunities.

Tips for effective technical writing

To excel in technical writing, consider these best practices.

Know your audience : Tailor your content to the knowledge level and needs of your readers. Understanding your audience ensures that the information is relevant and accessible.

Use clear and concise language :  Avoid jargon  and complex language unless absolutely necessary, and always define technical terms. Clarity is key to ensuring that your readers can easily understand the information.

Organize information logically : Structure your document in a way that flows naturally and logically, making it easy for readers to follow and understand the content.

Incorporate visuals and diagrams : Use images, charts, and diagrams to complement your text and help explain complex concepts. Visual aids can make your content more engaging and easier to understand.

The future of technical writing

The field of technical writing is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements and changing user expectations.

Emerging trends  include the rise of automation and  AI tools  that assist in writing and documentation, making the process faster and more efficient. As more companies adopt digital solutions, the demand for skilled technical writers who can create effective online documentation is growing.

Impact of technology on the field : Technology is transforming technical writing, with new tools and platforms enabling writers to create more interactive and dynamic content. This shift is likely to continue, making technical writing an even more vital skill in the digital age. (Tools with built-in AI writing assistants, like Guru, can make the process easier.  Give it a try for yourself! )

Technical writing is an essential skill in today's information-driven world. Whether you're documenting a new software feature or drafting safety instructions, clear and effective communication is key. Aspiring technical writers should focus on building their skills, gaining experience, and staying current with industry trends to succeed in this dynamic field.

Key takeaways 🔑🥡🍕

What is technical writing and examples.

Technical writing is the process of creating documents that explain complex information in a clear and accessible way. Examples include user manuals, standard operating procedures, and API documentation.

What does a technical writer do exactly?

A technical writer creates and edits documents that communicate technical information clearly, such as manuals, reports, and instructional materials.

Do technical writers make good money?

Yes, technical writers typically earn a competitive salary, especially as they gain experience and specialize in certain industries.

What is the best definition for technical writing?

Technical writing is the art of conveying complex technical information in a clear, concise, and accessible manner for a specific audience.

What are some examples of technical writing?

Examples of technical writing include user guides, white papers, case studies, and technical reports.

What are the 7 types of technical writing?

The seven types of technical writing often include end-user documentation, technical reports, proposals, instructional materials, standard operating procedures, white papers, and API documentation.

What is technical writing in simple words?

Technical writing is writing that explains how something works or how to do something in a clear and straightforward way.

What is the main purpose of technical writing?

The main purpose of technical writing is to communicate complex information in a way that is easy to understand and use.

What is an example of technical writing in everyday life?

An example of technical writing in everyday life is the instruction manual that comes with a household appliance, explaining how to set it up and use it.

How do you introduce yourself in technical writing?

In technical writing, it's important to focus on clarity and relevance; introduce yourself briefly, emphasizing your expertise and the purpose of the document.

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Technical Writing Examples

33 good technical writing examples (word & pdf).

The advancement in technology inevitably leads to people training their skills in technical writing, a valuable asset. The skill is crucial, especially for those who work in tech-related businesses. Learning how to make technical writing examples gives you the ability to communicate knowledge. Technical writing skills don’t just involve understanding information and writing it down in a document but also taking high-level information and processing it into a more “digestible” content.

Table of Contents

• 1 Technical Writing Examples
• 2 What does technical writing mean?
• 3 Technical Writing Samples
• 4 Characteristics of technical writing
• 5 What is the purpose of technical writing?
• 6 Technical Writing Skills
• 7 Where is technical writing used?
• 8 Tips for technical writing

What does technical writing mean?

With regard to importance, technical writing is now at par with journalistic and creative writing. Many would feel surprised to discover that technical writing has existed since the dawn of writing language itself. People have used technical writing examples to transform complex explanations and equations then simplify them for average readers and laypersons to understand.

Take, for instance, a textbook. You may consider this a document done using technical writing because it takes complex ideas and breaks them down into more comprehensible bits for students. The main purpose of technical writing samples has nothing to do about entertainment or engagement. It was primarily created to teach the required information for learning how to perform a certain task.

Each time you purchase a product, it usually comes with a set of instructions, an instruction manual , rulebook, definitions or other such manuals. The writing used here is different types of technical writing. To learn how to master this skill, you should learn the right technical writing tips.

Technical Writing Samples

Characteristics of technical writing

If you have an interest in acquiring technical writing skills, you should know the important characteristics of the art. There various types of technical writing, each having its own purpose. What makes technical writing special is that it’s primarily informative, specifically in explaining different topics to other people.

It is commonly used in manuals and other technical documents that provide information and direction. L ike any other styles of writing, technical writing has its own characteristics including:

• It’s very direct It doesn’t use terms that people don’t understand and shuns away from eloquent writing styles.
• It’s straightforward and clear If you want to create a professional technical writing sample, stick to the subject matter and convey the information you’re writing about in a concise and clear manner.
• It has a solid structure This means the style of writing has an easy-to-follow composition that makes it easy for readers to understand. Solid structure is the main feature of technical writing as it enables the readers to access the information they need easily.
• It’s very informative and detailed The contents of materials written using technical writing skills should provide information by describing the topic as completely as possible.

What is the purpose of technical writing?

Every style of writing has its own objective. For a technical writing example, the purpose is to provide complex or confusing information to help people understand better a certain item like a computer, a new technological device, a new drug, and so on. It should also explain how a certain item works or how to finish a project .

The main target of technical writings is the people searching for information about a specific subject. The main goal is to make certain that the information provided is very concise, clear, and easy to comprehend. Technical writing can sometimes be very challenging for some people because it requires the reader to translate the information that’s hard to understand into terms that anyone can comprehend without any problems.

There are other informative types of writing as well, but it is only the technical writing style that focuses on clearly presenting the information in a specific way so that readers can utilize the information for different purposes.

Technical Writing Skills

Where is technical writing used?

The main purpose of a technical writing example is to share technical information with those who need to learn about a certain subject. It comes as no surprise why most of the occupational and technological fields like robotics, electronics, engineering, chemistry , and more all use technical writing when creating instructions for the operation of machinery, technologies or for conducting experiments.

The field of technical writing can be extremely complex, especially for beginners but you can avail of technical writing samples to create for yourself a textbook, manual or other technical writing documents. With these samples, you can help create a good tone and flow for your document and outline all of the information you intend to include in your material. Here are some of the most common technical writing examples:

• Annual Reports As a rule, companies should provide annual reports for the purpose of informing shareholders about last year’s stock performance along with other pertinent financial information. Even non-profit organizations have to come up with annual reports. For this, the technical writer needs a great amount of time to compile information, then present these in a comprehensive and attractive manner to the shareholders.
• Help Files In the digital world, these files are necessary for all software produces. The main purpose of these files is to make users independent. Businesses know that maintaining a Help Desk or a Customer Support Staff can be very expensive, thus, reducing company profits . You can even write a Help file for novice users who have had no prior knowledge of the software.
• Legal Disclaimers The legal disclaimer is a statement that establishes the terms of service . You would write this to limit your liability in the event of any legal processes like lawsuits. You should make sure that you’re kept protected if anything bad happens because of the use of your document. In simpler terms, you seek to disavow any future claims made by readers.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) If you’re working in a company, you should familiarize yourself with its SOP. Most companies have these well-defined procedures for accomplishing routine tasks . For instance, an SOP can establish how the payroll process works, how new employees get hired or how to calculate vacation hours . The use of an SOP can ensure that several persons in the company can do the same task in the same way to ensure consistent quality of work. Moreover, SOPs eliminate irregularities and favoritism. It ensures that workers can assume the tasks of employees who don’t come to work, have gone on vacation or got terminated without any changes in performance.
• User Manuals This refers to documents that usually accompany various electronics like televisions, gaming consoles, cellular phones, and the like. As a technical writer, you would have to write manuals that a novice will understand easily. The manual should be easy to follow otherwise the user will resort to technical support through email or by phone. If the manual is too difficult to comprehend, the customer might have no recourse but to return the product.

Tips for technical writing

Even if technical writing skills take high-levels details, you should still explain these concisely and clearly to your audience. As a technical writer, you should come up with documents that are very clear, simple, and succinct. Sometimes, though, the results could just be the opposite.

One of your greatest challenges as a technical writer is to transform complex information into an accessible and digestible document. To help you out, here are some technical writing tips you can apply to your work:

• Before writing, think about your target audience The greatest challenge of technical writing is to write for your target audience. Because of this, there is a need to define the audience in the document’s planning process then consider this audience in each step of your writing process. When you have identified your audience, go a step further by coming up with a persona for such an audience and imagine that this exact person will be the one reading your document.
• When you choose examples, think about them carefully first Keep in mind that each technical writing sample you may encounter might not be a good example. You might even want to consider some of these documents as illustrations of what you shouldn’t do instead of the guidelines for what you should do. At one point in your life, you may have bought an item that you needed to assemble and find out later that the instructions were not sufficient or were too confusing. This is a perfect example of poor technical writing. It is a good practice to review any sample document that you plan to use and make sure that the writing style and quality of information are good enough to serve the document’s intended purpose.
• Use global English Since English is an international language. Therefore, writing technical documents in this language allows access of your document by a broader audience. Also, consider that many readers will be non-native speakers. To accommodate the largest audience possible, use global English. This English style is both literal and logical which makes it easier to understand. Furthermore, it overlaps with the principles of technical writing in terms of clarity and precision. Writing globally means you’re aware of the contents of your document which can be a challenge to comprehend or simply misunderstood.

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Home › Career › What Does a Technical Writer Do? › Essential Technical Writing Skills [2024]

Essential Technical Writing Skills [2024]

Become a Certified Technical Writer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Technical writing skills are constantly changing with the growing needs and demands of technology. The ability to identify the exact skills that can help you advance in your technical writing career is difficult. That’s why, in this article, we will discuss the top in-demand technical skills, what they entail, and how to hone them in 2024.

If you’re interested in learning more via video, then watch below. Otherwise, skip ahead.

Let’s get started.

Technical Writer Skills

Technical writers are constantly expanding their skill set considering the need of the time—the digital age. Since their career is growing, the demand for a diverse set of technical skills is also rising. 

Following are the top technical writing skills every technical writer should possess in 2024: 

Communication Skills

First and foremost, technical writers are technical communicators. They’re experts at identifying/adapting their communication according to the knowledge and understanding of their audience. 

To that end, a technical writer should work on polishing the following communication skills include:

• Clarity— Technical writers are cohesive, concise, and clear in their verbal and written communication. 
• Purpose— Before their interaction with the audience, they are well aware of why it is crucial to communicate in the first place, the purpose of what they are sharing, and what problems they are aiming to resolve for the end-users.
• Openness— They deliver an overall positive tone in their message, avoiding all sorts of patronizing and negative remarks or instructions. 
• Confidence—F or their content to be trusted, they avoid hesitancy to pursue knowledge.
• High Regard for Ideas and Opinions of Others— A technical writer serves the audience. Therefore, they respect their audience’s perspectives and needs by incorporating them in their technical communication.

Furthermore, a technical writers’ role involves actively listening and planning before contributing to the verbal or written discourse. 

Technical Skills

Technical skills are a broad term used to understand industry-specific technology (including their product and services). 

Even though many technical writers pursue their higher education in a technical field (such as engineering or information technology), the technical skills of a technical writer refer to their technical knowledge of their subject matter of interest. 

The technical skills of a writer are just an expanding ocean of knowledge in different fields of their interest and the interests of their company. 

However, on a general note, a few in-demand technical skills include:

• Project Management
• Product Development
• Programming Languages 
• User Experience (UX) Design

Senior technical writers are also good at document management through various productivity software. 

Research Skills 

A technical writer’s process cannot begin without extensive research. They document each technical document through feedback from end-users and subject matter experts. 

However, for a more precise overview, technical research can be divided into these two broad categories:

• Audience Analysis— This is the research they conduct throughout the process for certain technical content. The approach involves understanding the target audience, including demographics, level of technical knowledge related to the product, and interests and needs. 
• User Experience— The experience includes the readability of technical documentation after the product or feature has been launched (such as usability testing, which explains how easy it is to use a product for the target users).

Whereas everything else in the research process pertinent to the scientific conduction of the research is a prerequisite for every technical writer (such as metrics, data collection, and data analysis).

Writing Skills

Since technical writers must write different types of technical content, they must have a flexible approach to and knowledge of different styles.

The most common types of content that they must know how to create include:

• User Manuals— Often used interchangeably with the broader terms, online help or user guides, these are documents containing instructions for end-users on how to use a particular product or process.
• Technical Reports— These are reports that maintain complex information about a specific product in an understandable format, including its development, progress, and history. 
• Policies and Procedures— These include documenting guidelines for the appropriate usage of industry assets and technology to ensure a safe and productive work environment. 
• Case Studies— are documents that explore end-users interaction with the product and analyze complex technical information for future improvements.  

Additionally, technical writers should write and manage their content on specific tools, such as Microsoft (MS) Word, RoboHelp (for help files), and FrameMaker (for formatting), etc.  

Editing Skills

Besides skills, technical writers can analyze their work, edit, and format critically, and consistently improve until the technical information becomes entirely understandable for the desired audience. 

While editing a technical draft, technical writers should consider the following:

• Proofreading
• Content review 
• Spelling and punctuation
• Structure and style
• Tone of voice
• Technical vocabulary

Overall, they ensure that their document follows the exact format and guidelines of the specific technical content at hand.

If you’re interested in learning more about editing technical documentation and other technical writing skills, check out our Technical Writing Certification Course.

Design Skills 

It is important to remember that technical writers communicate technical information in a written format and visually in graphs, infographics, and videos. Writers make the content more appealing and easily digestible for the user. 

Considering that, some of the in-demand design skills a technical writer needs include:

• Information Design —The ability to visually and verbally represent information (including facts, graphs, statistics, tables, and figures) in the most accessible way, understood by the specific audience.
• Information Architecture— The ability to structure and organize information in the most user-friendly way. 
• Typography— The ability to arrange and present written word most appropriately and legibly depending upon the type of technical document. 
• Basics of Graphic Design— The ability to visually communicate complex information in the form of helpful illustrations. 

The above skills need the knowledge of widely used design software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Even though technical writing jobs are assumed to be desk jobs, most technical writers must work with employees from all departments and diverse target audiences. 

Therefore, every good technical writer knows how to work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds and areas of knowledge and expertise. 

When it comes to teamwork, a technical writer should have the following skillset:

• Team Building Skills— Technical writers are active listeners, observant, and they make sure every voice of authority shows with feedback incorporated in their consultation and process.  
• Conflict Resolution Skills— When it gets hard to understand product language, team members, and target audiences, and they fall into disagreements, they’re quick at resolving them by finding different ways to communicate anything that the audience misunderstood.  
• Problem Solving Skills— The ability to promptly derive innovative solutions to problems that arise in their process. 
• Decision-Making Skills— They are good at trusting their instincts and competence, making calculated but firm decisions when finding solutions for end-users.  
• Planning and Organizational Skills— They know how to plan, structure, and manage different technical documentation projects and deliver them timely. 
• The Art of Persuasion— To find common ground with developers and subject matter experts, and for their say to be valued, it is essential to have influence. 

Apart from the above, individuals must possess tolerance, empathy, and perseverance to navigate through the technical writer job function smoothly and successfully apply their skillset. 

Develop Your Technical Writing Skills 

Now that we’ve listed the essentials technical writing skills, the question arises, how to hone them? 

Here are a few actionable steps you can take to improve or acquire technical writing skills:

• Complete Your Education —Technical writers are encouraged when they possess a bachelor’s degree in a technical field such as engineering, information technology, or communications (Journalism, or English). 
• Take Different Courses and Training Programs —You can quickly learn many skills such as technical writing and graphic design skills through online or onsite courses. It is wise to with investing in a class. 
• Follow the Professionals— It is essential to look at all the resources from subject matter experts from your field of interest, including their books, guides, articles, and training programs. 
• Research Your Field —To consistently improve your skills, you must have access to good technical content resources, which means you’ll have to stay updated with your industry. 
• On-the-Job Training— There are a lot of employers that are willing to give training to technical writers for them to understand how things work within their organization. However, it is equally important to show them your enthusiasm and dedication. Put together a compelling technical writer resume and go for it.

Again—all you need is the determination to become a technical writer, and the technical skills will follow with appropriate investment. 

Final Thoughts 

The list above of technical writing skills is comprehensive enough for anyone to acquire or improve them. 

However, before you begin, you must remember, technical writers do not write for the sake of technology, but for one and only one purpose alone, to make technology accessible. 

Therefore, if you’re considering a career in technical writing, make sure to with the right mindset. 

If you are new to technical writing and are looking to break-in, we recommend taking our Technical Writing Certification Course , where you will learn the fundamentals of being a technical writer, how to dominate technical writer interviews, and how to stand out as a technical writing candidate.

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Effective Writing for Engineering and Technical Professionals C1605

Topics: Management and Organization

The ability to write concise and unambiguous reports, proposals, manuals, or other technical documents is a key skill for any high-functioning engineer or technical staff person in the mobility industries. Through a combination of class discussions, interactive workshop activities, assignments, checker teams (review teams) and job aids, this course delivers real-life technical writing techniques and tools that can be immediately applied. Participants discover the importance of knowing their audiences and how to communicate technical information in a 'user-friendly' style.

During the conclusion, participants will also share their action plans and learn more about available resources (books, online courses, tools, etc.) to enrich their learning experiences.

To enhance social learning, participants will organize into ‘Checker Teams’ to support each other with developing and critiquing session assignments. Review checklists will be provided to support Checker Team activities.

Because this course is highly interactive, participants are required to bring samples of their own writing projects (past, present, or future ideas) to analyze and develop during class. There may be some sharing of documents among participants on Day Two, so please bring non- proprietary document samples for some class activities. If proprietary documents are to be reviewed, the instructor is available to provide confidential, one-on-one coaching for each participant on Day Two.

A critical resource included as part of this course is Hacker, D. & Sommers, N. (2021). Pocket Style Manual: Updated with MLA's Guidelines and Internet Resources . 9th Edition.

Learning Objectives

• Describe basic technical writing techniques
• Interpret documentation including procedures, work instructions, specifications, and reports
• Apply your technical writing knowledge to documentation and projects

Who Should Attend

This course is valuable for professionals motivated to enhance their writing skills in the technical environment. Job roles that may benefit from this workshop include engineering, testing/validation, procurement, marketing, quality management, and management.

Prerequisites

English fluency

You must complete all course contact hours and successfully pass the learning assessment to obtain CEUs .

For additional information, contact SAE Customer Service 1-877-606-7323 (724-776-4970 outside the U.S. and Canada) or at [email protected] .

• Technical communication and how to identify the good from the bad
• Form Checker Teams for workshop ‘challenges’
• Objectives and purposes of various forms of technical documentation
• Identifying audience needs using audience analysis job aid
• Strategies for gathering, organizing, and developing content effectively, focusing on ’readability’, ‘usability’ and ‘accuracy’
• Principles of proper grammar, mechanics, and spelling using the Hacker Pocket Style Manual
• Principles of graphically representing text and data
• Formatting techniques to enhance readability
• Other ‘unwritten rules’ and considerations
• Individual coaching on writing (@1/2 hour per participant)

Norina Columbaro

She is a Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) and a Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC). She also holds a Ph.D. from Cleveland State University in Urban Education, specializing in Leadership and Life-Long Learning.

Norina's research and work have been published in Adult Learning, The International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, The Online Journal of Distance Learning, Human Resource Development Quarterly, and on Military.com.

Fees: $1329.00

Contact Steve Bremer for more information on private team training and training packages, at [email protected]

If paying by any other method or if you have general questions, please contact SAE Customer Service.

ENGL210: Technical Writing

Course introduction.

• Time: 86 hours
• Free Certificate

Because the goal of this course is to improve your ability to write clear, comprehensible examples of technical writing, most subunits include short writing activities that will give you hands-on experience in many different writing tasks. Each unit also includes a series of writing self-assessments that will allow you to evaluate your own writing based on specific criteria and provide examples and commentary on how to write successfully. This practical focus on specific writing skills will help you learn the writing skills you will need in the workplace. By the end of the course, you will feel comfortable tackling a wide variety of workplace communications.

Course Syllabus

First, read the course syllabus. Then, enroll in the course by clicking "Enroll me". Click Unit 1 to read its introduction and learning outcomes. You will then see the learning materials and instructions on how to use them.

Unit 1: Audience Analysis

Imagine needing to make a phone call but not knowing what number to dial. Beginning a communications project without first establishing your audience is a lot like that phone call without a phone number. If you don't first know who you are communicating with, you can't determine what information they need and in what format. In this unit, we walk through the steps of audience analysis to determine who we are writing to, what they know, what they need to know, and the best ways to reach them.

When we first take on a writing project, we must first consider who we are communicating with. We should ask ourselves who they are, what they know, and what they need to know to take action.

After we conduct this audience analysis, the next steps in the process apply this analysis to writing choices. Different audiences require different approaches to word choice, tone, and formatting. We also use our audience analysis to anticipate issues and any concerns or questions the audience might have after accessing the communication we have created.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.

Unit 2: Internal Communication: Writing Memos and Emails

Two of the most common forms of technical writing that you will encounter are the memo and the email. After completing an audience analysis, you must determine which form would be best for sending the message; memos and emails often rely on smaller amounts of information or requests for more information. In this unit, we cover the best practices for creating effective memos and emails.

Once the dominant form of communication in the workplace, memos typically serve as internal communication within an organization. Memos can update policies and procedures, announce meetings or organizational changes, or inform the internal audience as needed. Memos must typically be brief, concise, organized for readability, and addressed to targeted audiences with specific subject lines.

Emails, which often replace memos for internal communication, can be sent internally or externally. While this form of business communication must take into account the time constraints most readers face as a result of high email volume, people use emails to communicate issues both large and small. Emails must make use of strong subject lines, clear formatting, and concise writing. Email also presents some ethical challenges as the forwarding and BCC function enables you to easily share communications with larger audiences quickly and in a way that is documented for the longer term.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 9 hours.

Unit 3: External Communication: Formal Letters

While memos are used for internal communication and emails for both internal and external communication, formal letters are mainly used as an external means of communication. Understanding when a communications context requires the more formal delivery of a physical letter falls under the initial considerations of the audience analysis and design/formatting stages of the writing process.

Letters can range from friendly introductions to more formal announcements with accompanying legal documents. In their more serious capacity, letters seek to create a formal and documented chain of communication. 

Two main formats exist for letters: the block format and the indented format. Both require the recipient’s and sender’s full names and addresses. They begin with a formal salutation and end with a complimentary closing. Their formal structure helps to convey authority and credibility.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.

Unit 4: Using Visuals to Convey Information

Words are not the only way to present and share information with an audience. Technical writing often utilizes visuals to accompany written information and further deliver information to the audience. This unit leads you through the types of visuals available and the best practices for using them.

Visuals take many forms; they can be as simple as a photograph of a plant specimen or pie chart breaking down enrollment data or as complex as an embedded video or multi-page, hyperlinked, organizational chart. Visuals must be carefully selected to support the audience's understanding of the topic.

However strong they are on their own, visuals must be integrated into the text of the document. The written word supports the visuals, and the visuals further exemplify the meaning of the text. The two work in tandem to support the main idea of the document.

This unit will also cover the important tools needed to properly label, title, and document visuals used in a given communication context.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 11 hours.

Unit 5: Process Documentation

One of the most common formats of technical writing is the process document. The process document explains either how to do something or how something was accomplished. This can be used to teach people or to document a process for the record. These documents vary in level of formality based on audience, but they all share elements of formatting to keep the communication organized and effective. This unit takes you through the ways to create process documents.

Formatting is probably the first design concern for a process document. The writer must distinguish whether or not the audience will have the directions with them as they accomplish the task or if they must commit the task to memory. Beginning nursing students, for example, are taught the proper way to wash hands in a roughly 1,500-word document. This document details not just the steps of handwashing, but also explains why each aspect of the process is critical to overall handwashing success. This extra detail helps to embed the proper procedure into new nurses' minds; they will, after all, be washing their hands countless times during the day without the instructions handy. Recipes, on the other side of the spectrum, anticipate that the audience will have them close by as they prepare the food; as a result, these feature lots of white space and step by step formatting.

Process documents must also pay special attention to anticipating potential trouble spots or questions from the audience. Anticipating these moments enables the writer to save time overall and increases the chances that the audience can complete the process without difficulty. Note that in this unit we will work through the writing process to develop complete process documents. We'll start with planning before moving to initial drafting, then revising.

Unit 6: Writing Proposals

Proposals are another common form of technical writing. These reports can either be formal or informal depending on the context. Some examples of proposals can be simple estimates for home improvement projects to more complex and formal business plans. This unit covers how to craft proposals.

Like process documents, proposals also rely on formatting to help them convey professionalism and appeal to the audience. Appealing to the audience is key given the persuasive nature of proposal writing. Proposals seek to persuade the audience to take action on a requested item or task. 

Like other forms of technical writing, a proposal begins with audience analysis and moves through the steps of planning, writing, and revision.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.

Unit 7: Communicating on the Internet

As the Internet rapidly expands, so does the opportunity for businesses to share information and reach audiences online. Technical Writers are increasingly called upon to craft communications to reach a broad online audience. The unit explores how the Internet is used to communicate and how to apply the foundations of technical writing effectively to reach online audiences.

Reading and writing for the Internet presents certain challenges that the printed word doesn't. The largest concern is the shortened attention span of Internet-based readers and reduced reading comprehension. Given the scrolling feature and the ease of clicking away, savvy writers for the Internet tailor their communications with headings, short paragraphs, clear and engaging visuals, and links for further development. 

Additional points to consider when writing for the Internet are how to use social media as a tool for both communications and marketing. Given how easy it is to share communication online, the technical writer should be well versed in the social media tools and the common practices for writing on each of the interfaces. For example, what works on a blog post would not work in a tweet. The technical writer must learn how to translate the same idea for several different types of social media and in a way that reaches the intended audience.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 12 hours.

Study Guide

This study guide will help you get ready for the final exam. It discusses the key topics in each unit, walks through the learning outcomes, and lists important vocabulary terms. It is not meant to replace the course materials!

Course Feedback Survey

Please take a few minutes to give us feedback about this course. We appreciate your feedback, whether you completed the whole course or even just a few resources. Your feedback will help us make our courses better, and we use your feedback each time we make updates to our courses.

If you come across any urgent problems, email [email protected].

Certificate Final Exam

Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.

To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.

Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate .

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