What are the three important requirements of effective technical communication?
Answer: Technical communication is a term that encompasses the strategies used to convey complex information about technical services, products, systems, or processes to targeted audiences. It includes various forms of communication, including specialized information and instructional materials for technical and scientific items, such as computer hardware and software, and manufacturing or research equipment. Individuals with bachelor’s and/or master’s in technical communication can find employment in information technology, health care, market research, digital publishing, human resources, public relations, business-to-business marketing, and other related fields. Show
Technical communication is a practice-oriented field that emphasizes detailed, cogent, and informative writing, and often requires skills in analysis, research, and design, as well as knowledge of editing and publication processes. Technical communication is integral to fields such as scientific research, health education, scientific and medical policies, environmental communication, and computer software, just to name a few. Examples of technical communication include instructions on how to use a particular appliance or technological device, pharmaceutical pamphlets that explain a particular medication’s mechanisms, scientific research and grant proposals, instructions on how to troubleshoot a particular technical issue, and internal resources such as online wikis and training programs that help employees during onboarding. Due to the many different ways in which technical communication is employed across diverse fields, technical communication professionals can expect to engage in a variety of tasks, including technical editing/writing, instructional design, training, translation, information architecture, user experience design, document design, and more. Technical writers, document specialists, instructional designers, and other professionals utilize technical communication strategies to create a range of detailed informational products, including, not only the examples outlined above, but also technical project documents, product catalogs, product release notes, scientific journal articles, reference guides, and other forms of content used to convey technical information to internal and external audiences. Bachelor’s in Technical Communication ProgramsFor current and prospective undergraduate students who are interested in stepping into entry-level roles in technical communication, there are bachelor’s in technical communication programs that can give them the essential skills to realize their goals. Bachelor’s degrees in technical communication typically have courses in areas such as rhetorical analysis, business and/or scientific writing, user experience, multimedia production, grant and proposal writing, visual communication, instructional writing, technical editing, and digital media production management. Due to the broad nature of the field of technical communication, and the fact that technical communication intersects with so many other disciplines, there are bachelor’s degree programs that offer a major in technical communication combined with another related field. Below are a few examples of several such majors:
Some undergraduate programs in technical communication also require students to fulfill an internship in a technical communication-related setting, and/or to complete a capstone project that entails developing a technical communication artifact (such as a research proposal, white paper, or online reference guide) that they can include in their portfolio. Featured Online Bachelor's in Technical Communication ProgramsArizona State UniversityOnline Bachelor of Science in Technical CommunicationProgram WebsiteArizona State UniversityOnline Bachelor of Science in Technical Communication - User ExperienceProgram WebsiteSponsored Master’s in Technical Communication ProgramsMaster’s degree programs in technical communication cover both foundational and advanced rhetorical principles and theories of the field, as well as effective strategies for technical writing and editing in areas such as computer science, information technology, healthcare and medicine, environmental science, and more. Courses in these programs discuss central concepts of content organization and presentation, along with industry practices for writing and editing technical documents, such as information architecture, writing for the computer industry, rhetoric of science and technology, publication management, usability research, visual design theory, technical styles and editing, wiki-based documentation, prototyping, structured documentation, and more. Students can also expect to gain skills in areas such as audience analysis, manuscript development, field testing, documentation creation, document usability, and publication management. While some courses in master’s in technical communication programs may overlap with courses students take in an undergraduate program in technical communication, the master’s degree is nevertheless distinct from the bachelor’s degree. The master’s in technical communication is comprised solely of courses in technical communication and generally offers both a wider variety of courses in the field and more specialization options relative to the bachelor’s degree (which has general education requirements in addition to major requirements). As a result, master’s degrees in technical communication are offered with a wider range of specializations, including:
Master’s programs in technical communication typically require students to complete a culminating experience, usually in the form of an applied research project or professional project. Students may also have the option of completing a master’s thesis, which is a more formal, five-chapter research document. In addition, some master’s programs in technical communication have an internship requirement. For more information about master’s in technical communication programs, including example class plans and degree requirements, please refer to our Master’s in Technical Communication Programs page. Online Master's in Technical Communication ProgramsArizona State UniversityOnline Master of Science in Technical CommunicationProgram WebsiteArizona State UniversityOnline Graduate Certificate in Technical CommunicationProgram WebsiteJohns Hopkins UniversityOnline Master of Science in Science WritingProgram WebsiteJohns Hopkins UniversityGraduate Certificate in Science Writing (Online)Program WebsiteSponsored Skills for Graduates with a Degree in Technical CommunicationThe table below lists a number of professional skills that students may develop through a bachelor’s and/or master’s program in technical communication. Careers in Technical CommunicationA degree in technical communication can lead to employment in nearly any industry, including health care, graphic design, manufacturing, software development, information technology, publishing, public relations, information design, online media, and more. Professionals with an education in technical communication might pursue careers with manufacturing firms, software and hardware development companies, engineering firms, logistics organizations, environmental agencies, hospitals, insurance companies, or any other employer requiring accurate technical documentation of their products and services. With their skills in writing and editing, technical communicators may take on a variety of duties, such as improving training programs to build efficiencies in product development, creating more effective information architectures for websites to improve user satisfaction, drafting technical illustrations to clarify assembly instructions for a product (e.g. furniture), writing clear medical instructions that help health care providers better communicate with patients, or crafting software instructions that allow users to fully leverage the program’s value. Although technical writer/editor is a common career path, individuals with a master’s in technical communication might also work in project management, or pursue one of the career paths listed below:
Note: Current and prospective students should keep in mind that while many technical communication roles do not formally require a master’s degree in the field, a graduate degree in technical communication may help one become more competitive for advanced positions, such as those in technical publication management or higher-level technical communication strategy. On the other hand, career advancement in this field is also obtainable through several years of professional experience instead of a master’s degree. Expectations with regards to candidates’ educational and professional preparation vary from employer to employer, and therefore individuals should thoroughly research their desired positions in order to determine how to optimally prepare. Furthermore, while technical communication is primarily an industry-focused field, positions in academia, including scientific and technical communication research and pedagogy do exist; for these roles, a master’s degree or higher is the general expectation for candidates. What are the requirements for technical communication?Most jobs in the Technical Communication field require at least a bachelor's degree that relates to the work (e.g. Technical Communication, English, Engineering, Information Technology). Any of these bachelor's degree will give students a broad overview of the field.
What are the 3 common type of technical communications?We might define technical communication, then, as using various modes (oral, written, visual) of communication to manage technical information to analyze a problem, find and evaluate evidence, and draw conclusions in a way that allows people to take action.
What are three factors you should consider in technical communication?There are several factors opposing technical communication between members of a product development team. The literature suggests three major types of geographic barriers to the commu- nication process: 1) physical distance; 2) overlapping working time; 3) cultural/language differences.
What is the most important part of technical communication?One of the most important aspects of technical communication is understanding the audience.
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