Technical Writing
Career Options and New Directions in Technical Communication
© 2010 Ugur Akinci Technical communication is a lot more than just “technical writing.” Every year new directions and career options emerge that keep our field fresh and exciting. Here are some of them to consider to redefine and redirect your career: Distance Education – Specialize in distance education by learning how to put together…
Read MoreGoogle Docs Presentation Application
© 2010 Ugur Akinci You can use this FREE application to create online presentations that you can reach from anywhere… as long as you have access to the Internet. I actually prepared the following presentation by using Google Docs Presentation:
Read MoreTechnical Writing for a Help Desk
An informative video by a professional Documentation Specialist. A lot of practical pointers here provided by someone who actually practices what she preaches. Have pen and paper ready and take notes.
Read MoreDocumentation as a Backup for UI Deficiencies?
Here is a view that has some weight to it, on the basis of my personal experience as a Fortune 500 technical communicator: “[Software] Documentation is rapidly becoming a backup for deficiencies in the user interface and user training rather than a complete solution in itself.” And here is an intelligent blog post that discusses…
Read MoreThe Importance of Writing Perfect Checklists
Ask yourself: would you be willing to fly in an airplane flown by a pilot who relies on his or her “memory and track record” rather than a detailed and time-tested checklist? I wouldn’t. The deeper question is: if checklists are perfect and indispensable for flying airplanes safely and reliably, then why don’t we use…
Read MoreHow to Become a Technical Writer
(A personal account published at Tom Johnson’s excellent blog) by Sarah Pruitt Deciding to become a technical writer was easy. But finding the experience and the time has proven unforgiving. My job is not based on writing; in fact, writing is rarely needed. Between working full-time at a bank doing account maintenance (which is equivalent…
Read MoreHow to Write a Technical Reference Manual as a Team
What are the things you should keep in mind if you’re working as a part of a writing team authoring a reference manual? Or what are the things you should keep in mind if you are managing such a team of technical writers? Here is a good blog post by Lesley Hays, an Aussie technical…
Read MoreTechnical Writing – What is DITA?
© Ugur Akinci DITA is an acronym which stands for Darwin Information Typing Architecture. It is a method of technical writing and publishing based on XML (Extensible Markup Language). Just like the web language HTML is based on tags like <title>, <p>, etc. XML is also based on tags some of which it shares with…
Read MoreTransparency and Clarity: Hallmark of Modern Technical Communication
Transparency and clarity are two of the most important characteristics of modern technical communication. Most such communication is directed at end users and consumers who are more than ever demanding transparency and clarity in the information products that they consume. Disclosures of every kind are now a regular part of almost all forms of technical…
Read MoreHow to Use Twitter to Promote Your Writing Services
© 2009 Ugur Akinci There is a good way to use the Twitter to promote your writing services, and another way that’s not that good. I’m finding these things out myself by trial and error and I wanted to share some of my findings with you. 1) Always share something useful and relevant, either by…
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