Pearl Buck had it right. If you enjoy doing something, you’ll want to do it to the best of your ability. I love technical writing, and Buck's perspective validates my desire to make everything I produce of the highest quality I am capable of. I have long believed that anything a company produces and distributes either to the public or to its own employees affects its ethos, for better or for worse. Such material not only includes products or services but also any document with the company’s name associated. Well-written, well-edited documentation, instructions, advertisements—even letters, emails, and memos—reflect an image of professionalism and excellence.

Mike Markel lists eight characteristics of “excellent technical documents” in the 11th edition of his book, Technical Communication (7–10):

• Honesty

• Clarity

• Accuracy

• Comprehensiveness

• Accessibility

• Conciseness

• Professional appearance

• Correctness

Throughout UALR’s Professional and Technical Writing graduate program, I have worked to make my writing encompass all of these characteristics.

In my classes and internship at Inuvo, Inc., I have learned about writing software documentation, editing, document design, writing for the web, usability testing, grant writing, researching, web design, and the theory behind what we do as tech writers.

I learned across several of my classes—particularly Document Design and Writing Software Documentation—that if users can’t find what they need quickly and easily, they’re likely to get frustrated and perhaps even give up. If they can’t comprehend instructions or have to slog through a bunch of extraneous information to reach what they need to know, they’ll get annoyed with both the instructions and the company providing them. I was specifically able to put into practice these guidelines on writing instructions in my Independent Study for which I wrote a manual and online help for Colton’s Restaurant Group’s new Project & Loss (P&L) Program administrator.

I’ve also been able to practice what I absorbed in Technical Style and Editing and Advanced Editing in all the work I do. In fact, every class I’ve taken has taught me something new about how to be a stronger technical communicator.

We writers are responsible for making someone’s day a little easier by providing needed information in an accessible format, not only in print but online as well. Through learning and practice, I’ve come to appreciate that when it comes down to it, I’m helping people achieve their goals. 

Works Cited:

Markel, M. (2015). Technical communication, 11th Ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.