Technical Writing
How to Manage a Technical Document Review Process
Review Process is an Unspoken Problem… One of the most problematic aspects of a technical writing project is the review process. Usually, the reviewers are less responsive than a technical writer hopes them to be. Why is that the case? Because reviewers in a typical IT project team are either managers, engineers, or SME technicians,…
Read MoreWriting Proposals for U.S. Government Purchasing Contracts — An Introduction
Did you know that you can make a good living as a technical communicator by writing proposals U.S. Government purchasing contracts? Largest Buyer in the World U.S. Government is probably the largest buyer in the world, period. The numbers change from year to year, but the last I heard is this: U.S. Government purchases more…
Read MoreMy Mom – The True Test of My Abilities as a Technical Communicator
As a technical communicator I’m sometimes stuck with situations that I can’t handle. Example… I have a smart mom. She is approaching 80 God bless her yet she is on the Internet. I really admire her tenacity and her lack of techno-phobia. Although she does not have a college degree, she did what millions of…
Read MoreThe True Scope of a Localization Project
What is Localization? Some technical communicators think that “localization” is one and the same thing as “document translation.” Localization certainly encompasses translation but that’s not all. A localization project can include a lot more than just translating a user manual or two. Just consider the following list of BOM (Bill of Materials) introduced at a…
Read MoreHow to Explain Things "In Other Words"…
When writing to explain and convince, it’s sometimes necessary to reexplain things bu using different words and phrases. It is unrealistic to expect people to understand what you’re talking about the first time you write about it. Sometimes you need to explain the same concept or idea multiple times and in different ways to make…
Read MoreHow to Write a Corporate Form 10-K Annual Report
Annual Report All U.S. companies that issue publicly traded stock shares must file an Annual Report with the U.S. SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) by law. They have to disclose their financial dealings, strengths and vulnerabilities, by filing Form 10-K every year. Another name for this form is the “Annual Report.” If a company has…
Read MoreHow to Avoid Obfuscation when Writing a Corporate "Tagline" or Mission Statement
Writing a corporate mission statement is both science and art. Movies Movies come with taglines that summarize the story in a hurry. ALIEN (1979): “In space, no one can hear you scream.” ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000) : “She brought a small town to its feet and a huge corporation to its knees.” FARGO (1996): “A lot can…
Read MoreHow to Punctuate Items Listed in a Table Cell or Unordered List
Punctuation of table cell or unordered list items presents a special problem in technical writing since more often than not such lines include technical specs. Punctuation questions, like whether to end each line with a period or not, acquires a special significance since Parallelism “Parallelism” is one of those cardinal rules in technical writing. In…
Read MoreShould You Use Text or Video in Your Posts & Publications?
We need to make a lot of choices every day. The familiar refrain of “paper or plastic?” represents one such mundane choice that we are faced with when we stop by at a supermarket for shopping. Another choice I’m faced with on a regular basis is “text or video” in sharing useful technical writing tips…
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