Introduction
Why Technical Documentation Is Important
We live in a time when information about complex technology is fast, abundant, & ever-changing. To stay ahead of this F1 race, we must deliver clear, consistent, & efficient information. Technical documentation can serve as our sophisticated ”SF90” vehicle, to effectively distribute information. Therefore, we must sharpen the clarity, consistency, & efficiency of our documentation skills.
To refine your technical documentation expertise today, you will gain insight into the different types & categories of technical documentation. In addition, you will explore real-life applications of specialized categories for documentation.
What even is…technical documentation?
Technical documentation is written content that describes how systems, products, or processes work.
The main purpose of technical documentation is to efficiently enable stakeholders to understand, use, and maintain the described systems, products, or processes. These stakeholders could be users, customers, developers, engineers, technicians, legal partners, and business partners.
Typically, a technical writer is the professional that creates and updates technical documentation.
Companies once printed documentation on paper. Today, most documentation is digital, such as PDF files, eBooks, & knowledge bases.
internal secrets vs. external world
In general, technical documentation is mainly written for a target audience. The target audience can be internal or external stakeholders.
An example of an internal audience is an employee of an organization who frequently handles confidential data. Therefore, this confidential data is intended for internal use, inside of the organization.
On the contrary, an example of an external audience is customers who use the same organization’s systems, products, or services, but without access to confidential information of the said organization.
Categories of technical documentation
Roughly, there are 3 general heterogeneous categories of technical documentation:
- End-user documents—for end users, clients, or operators.
- Developer and engineering documents—for data scientists, mechanical engineers, software engineers & other specialists.
- Regulatory & compliance documents—for safety, legal, and industry standards.
The categorization of technical documentation is the result of a mix and match of the factors that follow:
- Target audience
- Technical end-users & non technical end-users
- Developers, engineers, & other industry specific roles
- Business stakeholders & managers
- Purpose of documentation
- Instruction & guidance
- Support & troubleshooting
- Development of products or software
- Compliance & regulatory
- Content type
- Textual content (including explanatory text or step-by-step guides)
- Visual content (including diagrams, flowcharts, images, & videos)
- Structured data (including tables, lists, & code blocks)
- Other (such as hyperlinks, glossaries, API references, etc.)
Real-Life examples
Of Specialized Categories Of Documentation
For a deeper understanding, explore the real-life applications of specialized categories of documentation. See the accordion-style list that follows, with examples of these granular categories:
Conclusion
- The categories of technical documentation are intrinsically multi-dimensional, and depend on several key factors. These factors vary from target audience, to content type, to purpose of the documentation.
- There is not a one-size-fits-all solution to find the right document type for your needs. It is necessary to choose technical documentation based on a strategic approach, tailored to your organizational needs.
- Companies once printed documentation on paper, but today, most documentation is digital. Typically, the evolution of documentation is a reflection of recent technological developments.
- Nonetheless, whether documentation is on paper or a screen, it is here to stay. Despite the evolution of industry, documentation is always fundamental, because all organizations need efficient documentation to thrive.
That being said, to invest in high-quality documentation is to invest in your organization’s efficiency and success.
Learn more about technical writing & Technical Documentation
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- LinkedIn group: Technical Writer Forum
- LinkedIn group: Documentation and Technical Writing Management
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