Tech Biz Writing

The first thing an author hears about in any project is the requirement. It may be someone on the telephone saying:

“We have a requirement for an author to write a user manual for a new computer add-on. We’re looking for a user-friendly text with clear diagrams and good quality illustrations … We want word processed draft only with author’s sketches. We’ll do the artwork in-house and all design … Oh, and we need the final draft in four months. Do you think you can handle it?”

That is an explicit requirement. They are not always like that. Often a requirement is vague and undefined, either because the client doesn’t know what he wants (but he’ll know it when he sees it), or else he is deliberately pitching the ball into the writer’s court on the basis that he (the writer) is the expert on these matters.

The first move, therefore, is to establish the requirement for the job. This is best undertaken by setting out a list of precise questions for the prospective client, omitting as little as possible. Writers tend to have their own way of doing this, of course, but the following eleven questions are as good as any:

1. Is there a specification to be written to, or a house style covering the company’s documentation?
2. What is the target readership, i.e. what depth of treatment will be needed?
3. Is there a deadline for the production of the manual? Can the author consult a project network, or critical path plan?
4. What technical information is available — reports, feasibility studies, for example?
5. What is the maintenance philosophy? Are there any diagnostic aids built into the equipment?
6. Are there subcontractors involved in the project? Is their documentation available? Will I be expected to work with them or with a company go-between?
7. Are commercial parts to be incorporated in the equipment?
8. Who are the writer’s contacts — names, status, email addresses, telephone number etc.
9. How is the draft to be validated (vetted)? How long will this take?
10. Will there be editorial control, and who will have it?
11. Details of further documentation meetings?

Next: 15: The Specification

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 10th, 2006 at 7:42 pm and is filed under Technical Writing, Documentation, Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.