Posts Tagged ‘Technical Writing’
Correlation is not Causality – Cell Phone Towers & Babies
Correlation is not causation This means that just because two things happen at the same time, it doesn’t mean that one caused the other. Correlation does not imply causation is a phrase used in statistics and social sciences to emphasize that a correlation between two variables does not necessarily mean that one causes the other.…
Read MoreSecrets of Good Communication – 5 Tips of Explaining Things More Effectively
Good communication is all about explain things well to others, isn’t it? Here is a wonderful little paper, available as a PDF download from TechRepublic, about 10 ways in which we can all improve the way we explains things to others. I really liked this list. My experience in life tells me that every item…
Read MoreRutger's University's "6-P Method" to Write Technical Case Studies
© 2010 Ugur Akinci The New York Times has published a very educational story about how Rutger University‘s technical writing program employs the “6-P Method” to create technical case studies. According to Peter Sorrell, an instructor at the business and technical writing program, the method consists of the following Ps: The Problem at stake, the…
Read More4 Reasons Why All Companies Should Have Terminology Management
What is Terminology Management? Terminology Management is a vital technical communication function for all corporations. Larger the corporation, more urgent is the need to have a standard catalog of terms and concepts used consistently across all levels of the organization. The goal of a terminology is to provide a set of terms that are well-defined,…
Read MoreHow 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…
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