Technical Writing Skills

Research skills

A big part of what you'll do as a technical writer is to collect information from a number of different sources. In some cases, the information may be easy to find, such as in technical specifications. In other cases, and what seems to be the majority of cases, the information is hidden in a number of different sources, such as half completed technical specifications, marketing plans, developer plans, hallway conversations and in the minds of individual programmers. This means you must play the role of a sleuth looking for clues as to how a product or service works. Some examples of good research skills to have are:

• Interviewing skills
• Keyword based search skills
• Curiosity

I've already talked about interviewing skills. While these skills were discussed along with communications skills, good interviewing techniques are essential for successful research, especially when you're dealing with people.

I use keyword based searches as a generic term for any type of search you perform using a word or phrase to locate information. You use keyword searches all of the time when you look for books in the library or use Internet search engines. You probably found this article using a keyword search. As you get more practiced at keyword searches, you'll build up a repertoire of phrases you can use to track down information.

Curiosity is a great tool. When you are documenting a product or service, you sometimes do so with little or no prior knowledge of what the product is or how it works. This means that you'll have to spend a good portion of your time fiddling around with the product, and you can't be shy about it. Technical writers with a natural curiosity have an advantage over those technical writers that sit around waiting for someone to tell them how to use a product. So, when you're given a product you know nothing about, don't be shy! Jump in there and start playing. Your own learning process will help you shape your documentation.

 

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