Introduction To Technical Writing

Learn a structured writing process for technical writing. Overcome the fear of the blank page and write your first technical document with guided steps.

Explore the magic of structured writing to overcome obstacles like blank page, decide what to include, and assess clarity, while following a process that helps start, finish, and write efficiently.

The lesson outlines the four steps of the technical writing process—planning, information collection and drafting, revising and editing, and proofreading and testing—emphasizing planning, audience, and research.

Define the document’s purpose and audience in step one of the writing process, outline topic scope, and plan with a structured planning document to guide you from brainstorming to execution.

Explore step two of the writing process: information collection and drafting, define the outline, conduct secondary and primary research, interview an expert, and draft the first version.

Revisit your first draft in step three to produce a final draft by applying formal quality criteria—correct, complete, usable, clear, concise, and consistent—and using structured reviews and a checklist.

Engage in professional proofreading as part of step four, then design and run a user test or survey with your target audience and revise to improve readability and credibility.

Congratulations on completing section two; follow a structured writing process to tame the big beast of technical writing. In section three, explore the community of technical writing and what's ahead.

Learn how to avoid common pitfalls in technical writing, and discover tips and tricks. Review best practice examples and additional resources.

Explore the four knowledge areas essential for technical writers—technical knowledge, product knowledge, user knowledge, and language and writing knowledge—and develop four core skills: research, writing, social, and learning.

Identify and avoid common technical writing pitfalls, such as vague purpose, broad audiences, unclear structure, irrelevant details, inconsistent terminology, too many editors, and lack of audience research or testing.

Research thoroughly, listen to and bond with your audience, and collaborate with experts; invest in right tools and treat technical writing as a product to test and improve for them.

Explore best practice examples in technical writing, including Slack's clear instructions and navigation, MailChimp's style guide, and structured visuals, headlines, and steps.

Celebrate completing section 3 and the whole class, explore the resource list for further reading, and connect with Right with Dr. Cat on Instagram to keep writing in tech.

Access the instructor's resources online, including the UX Writing Memo newsletter, live webinars, and CV and portfolio reviews to boost your tech writing career.