Technical Writing - What? Why? How?

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TECHNICAL WRITING What? Why? How? Orjiewuru Kingdom Isaac Software Developer - Andela

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1. TECHNICAL WRITING - WHAT?

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WHAT is technical writing? ▪ Communicating about technical or specialized topics. ▪ Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites. ▪ Providing instructions about how to do something regardless of how technical the task is. 3

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“ A technical writer communicates in a way that presents technical information so that the reader can use that information for an intended purpose. 4

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2. TECHNICAL WRITING - WHY?

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WHY become a technical writing? ▪ Opportunity to become a lifelong learner. “In order to communicate the content, you must be (or become) well-versed in that field. Therefore, with each new technical document, you will become an expert on that subject.” 6

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3. TECHNICAL WRITING - HOW?

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“ Technical writing has a clear, direct and neutral style. The text should present the information in the most professional and accessible way possible. 8

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HOW to write technical articles? ▪ Define the parameters ▫ Type ▫ Subject area / content ▫ Goal ▫ Scope ▫ Audience 9

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HOW to write technical articles? - Understanding the audience ▪ Note ▫ The reader defines the text; the technical information remains the same but the way it’s conveyed changes. 10

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HOW to write technical articles? - Understanding the audience ▪ Technical level ▫ Know if your audience holds expertise in the field, if the topic is totally new to them, or if they fall somewhere in between. 11

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HOW to write technical articles? - Understanding the audience ▪ To think about ▫ Who are they? ▫ What do they need? ▫ Where will they be reading? ▫ When will they be reading? ▫ Why will they be reading? ▫ How will they be reading? 12

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HOW to write technical articles? - User experience ▪ There can be a tendency for experts to craft a document that shows their depth of knowledge and to compile it in a way that is appealing for their own peer-group. 13

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“ There can be a tendency for experts to craft a document that shows their depth of knowledge and to compile it in a way that is appealing for their own peer-group. 14

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HOW to write technical articles? ▪ Accurate word choice ▫ Say things in a clear precise manner ▪ Sentence structure ▫ Always put the most important information in the main clause. The reader will better digest the priority information. ▪ Avoid jargon 15

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HOW to write technical articles? ▪ Use Plain Language ▫ Write in a way that any reader can understand the text. ▪ Choose your style ▫ Narrative (blogs) ▪ Get Reviews 16

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LET’S REVIEW SOME CONCEPTS Define the parameters Type, subject, scope, goal Know your users Find out their technical level and let that shape your writing. 17 Make accurate words choices Avoid jargon; Use plain language; Choose a style Structure your sentences right

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CREDITS Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free: ▪ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival ▪ Quotes and excerpts from InstructionalSolutions 18

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19 THANKS! ANY QUESTIONS? You can find me at: ▪ @kingisaac95 ▪ [email protected]