Technical Writers - Skill Set

Skill Set

In addition to solid research, language, and writing skills, a technical writer may have skills in:

• Information design
• Information architecture
• Training material development
• Illustration/Graphic Design
• Website design and management
• User Interfaces
• Business Analysis

Technical writing may be on any subject that requires explanation to a particular audience. The material may be technical—or non-technical such as simple consumer information. A technical writer is not usually a subject matter expert (SME), but possesses and applies expertise to interview SMEs and conduct research necessary to produce accurate, comprehensive documents. Companies, governments, and other institutions typically hire technical writers not for expertise in a particular subject, but for expertise in technical writing, i.e., their ability to gather information and produce well-written documentation.

A good technical writer creates documentation that is accurate, complete, unambiguous, and as concise as possible. Technical writers create documentation in many forms, such as printed, web-based, or other electronic means.