Lessons
What is technical writing? The obvious answer to this question is any writing about technical subject matter, but that isn't the correct answer....
Types of documentation
The importance of audience
The importance of word choice and consistent writing
The importance of organization
The importance of indexing
The importance of editing and review
Lesson summary
Lesson 2: The Importance of Audience
The audience is a key element that many people fail to consider. When your job is to convey knowledge to someone, you need to understand what that...
Examine the software to determine your user base
Discuss the user base with the product manager
Applying your audience analysis to your writing
What happens if your audience analysis is wrong?
Homework - optional reading
Lesson 3: The Importance of Word Choice and Consistent Writing
A good technical writer not only understands his intended audience, he understands the importance of clear and concise writing. Although most writers...
Exercise proper word choice
Use short active sentences
Use a consistent voice
Develop a consistent style
Maintain consistency in collaborative projects
Homework - optional reading and exercises
Lesson 4: Writing Procedures
Most technical writers spend at least part of their time writing procedures. Procedures are essentially detailed instructions for performing one or...
Use active language
Use short phrases and sentences
Use ordered lists
Provide one instruction per step
Be consistent
Perform the acts you're describing
Lesson Summary
Homework - optional
Lesson 5: Using Tables and Graphics
As a technical writer your job is to convey information to your readers. Sometimes the best way to do that is by writing long descriptive passages....
Using tables
Using screenshots
Using representational drawings
Writing captions
Table of Figures and Table of Tables
Lesson Summary
Lesson 6: Indexing Your Documents
It's your job to analyze everything the user needs to do to successfully use a product and determine the order they need to do those items. Then you...
Deciding what to index
Choosing which instances to mark
Build in redundancy
Consistency in indexes
When to build your index
Homework - optional reading and exercises
Lesson 7: Editing And Reviews
You might think the process of technical writing is complete once you put the last word on the page, but it isn't. Every document needs to be...
Working with an editor
Peer editing
Self editing
Why reviews are important
Dealing with difficult reviewers
Integrating review comments
Which comes first - Reviewing or Editing?
Homework - optional reading
Lesson 8: The Tools of the Trade
Although there are a wide variety of tools you can use to create documentation, most writers use a few core applications for most of their work. Some...
Why not Microsoft Word?
What FrameMaker offers that Word doesn't
Generating paper documentation
Generating electronic documentation
Generating online help
The Great Tool Search
Homework - optional
Class Summary - What should you take away from this class?
