Question

 

1. What is technical communication, and what are some of the ways it can help people?
2. What are some common types of technical documents? List at least five types the book mentions. Please also make up two specific examples of the kinds of technical communication that people may need to produce in the workplace (use specific professions in your examples, like engineer, computer programmer, nurse, dentist, etc).
3. Describe some things that a writer can do to "focus on the reader" when writing and designing technical documents.
4. Why is technical communication so often collaborative in nature?

Answer 1

1.

Technical communication is a broad window of communication by which engineering, scientific, and other technical information can be conveyed. There are various methods like audio, video, or other media, web pages, computer-based technologies, digitally stored texts, or even a paper document through which information can be shared during communication. It helps people who seek specific information while using their products or accessing any particular service(s). example- software instruction to people or medical instruction to patients.

2.

Common types of technical documents are:-

i. User guides (manuals, step-by-step instructions, procedures)

ii. Technical help and online support

iii. Research or technical report

iv. Product specification and documentation record

v. Consumer literature (information for the public about safety issues, regulations, etc.)

Examples:-

i. A civil engineer using design software and facing some issues in the software may be sorted by the online help team of the software provider

ii. A dentist can explore his/her new machine/types of equipment with the help of user guides

3.

When writing and designing technical documents, a writer should focus on how simply the service can be provided so that it can be accessed at the user end with less or no effort. For achieving so, one can use clear diagrams, pictorial representation, and well-established step to step procedure for any problem.

4.

Technical communication is collaborative several times because it involves a range of component(s) while sorting some problems related to any product or services. Moreover, it is often kept collaborative to share the knowledge and information as well as the goal, making it more efficient and user friendly. It is not an easy task to keep technical communication collaborative because the presentation and information must be consistent with all the team members, which is not very easy to manage.