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For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Do you have any advice for a would-be author of a technical writing
textbook?
Tony Markatos responds:
Do not fall into the (common) trap of thinking that technical communications
is, in the main, "some sort of English/Journalism major kind of thing".
Grammar and style have a place. But they are not the main issues.
The big "buzz word" today is usability. Highly usable tech comms are highly
task oriented; that is, highly modular (where each module accomplishes one
essential task).
"Chunking" complex software systems into logically-correct and "right-sized"
modules requires a high degree of engineering.
The major issues are proper analysis and organization. Not the drafting of
text.
Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)
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