Technical documentation is difficult for both writers and readers. This is not just because of the inherent complexity of a technical subject, but also because of the complexity of language itself to simulate a semblance of reality.
It’s not enough to simply equip a writing team with the best technical writer software and ask them to do the best they can to explain a technical product, process, or performance. There are many nuances to technical writing that affect its quality.
Fortunately, there are three guidelines to make technical documentation easier for readers to understand and act upon the valuable, well-researched information.
Increase Clarity
Unless a technical writer understands that the purpose of documentation is to increase clarity, then it’s only too easy to slip into obscure writing.
Obfuscation, even if done unintentionally, can disrupt communication on many levels.
Those outside a specialized field may struggle with the meaning of unfamiliar words while those in the field may struggle to decipher the meaning of paragraphs because of the complex nesting of clauses and phrases in sentences.
In pharmaceutical research, for instance, specialized language is necessary to describe emerging disciplines, such as describing off-the-shelf versions of newer precision medicines like CAR-T therapies. But this specialized language must be explained thoroughly so that the documentation is not only comprehensible to fellow researchers and oncologists but also to general practitioners, medical students, nurses, hospital administrators and others who also need to understand the biological details and medical procedures of CAR-T therapies.
Clarity increases ease of understanding, improving communication between researchers and other specialists. Clarity improves the practical application of the information.
Improve Efficiency
Inefficiency in technical documentation shows up in a variety of different ways:
As duplicate content. A writer might repeat the same idea in different ways throughout the documentation. Instead of reinforcing the core ideas, this might create confusion.
- As an unorganized structure. A writer could introduce a key concept but not explain it well by using words with slightly different meanings as if they were synonymous.
- As a vague explanation of a process. This often occurs because the writer assumes the reader understands the process and just needs to remember the sequence of steps. Sometimes this is not the case. A reader may not have any prior familiarity with a technical process.
So unless a writer carefully organizes their content, they could accidentally deliver vital information inefficiently.
Providing Up-To-Date Information
In science, information can rapidly become obsolete. What once appeared to be a certainty may prove later on to be a complete misunderstanding.
A classic example of how scientists can believe just the opposite of what they once thought is the story of the discovery of neurogenesis.
Before a landmark study in 1998 published in Nature Medicine, scientists believed that the human brain was a rigid, inflexible biological system that could not regenerate. Then this groundbreaking study revealed that the brain constantly grows new brain cells.
While a technical writer is likely to be fairly accurate in using research sources, it is still possible that using information only a few years old can lead to an inaccurate conclusion in a paper. Dates are important when using researched information. In some cutting-edge fields, even a few months’ difference can lead to erroneous information.
Technical documentation has to be up-to-date to be relevant. New findings in a scientific field, new manufacturing processes, or new product releases can render technical documentation useless.
Organizations must respect technical documentation as the living content. Otherwise, technicians or specialists using the information may make dangerous mistakes. For instance, a doctor could unintentionally endanger a patient by proposing a debunked treatment plan or a pilot could endanger passengers because they are relying on obsolete documentation to navigate a new aircraft.
In conclusion, technical documentation needs to be clear, efficient, and up-to-date to be useful for information consumers.
