Technical writing has always been important, but in today’s information-driven and technologically advancing world, the ways in which documentation continues to adapt and develop means that technical writing is becoming ever-more crucial. Here’s why, in 2024, clear and concise technical writing should be taking centre stage.
Fundamentally, the core principle of technical writing is making complex topics understandable, whether that may be instructions, manuals or reports, to a plethora of audiences, from industry professionals to general users of a product or service. In other words, any industry that offers a product or service— a large chunk of our consumer-driven world—relies on technical documentation. This is both as a legal requirement, and to facilitate informed decision-making for their customers. The transferral of complex industry jargon to user-friendly, universal language often is the difference between a customer being sold on a product that they can understand and therefore trust in, and a service that alienates the user. Clear communication is therefore the bedrock of technical communication, bridging gap between experts and customers efficiently and accurately.
As alluded to, the ever-increasing demand for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods/services depend on the question ‘how is this done?’ being answered. As goods and services are becoming more technologically advanced, it is fundamental that this question is answered in clear language. Clarity is important for public safety, preventing errors, loss of time, and money, instead allowing systems and products to complete tasks. With clear instructions in place, this improves efficiency, ensuring products are used as intended whilst preventing dangerous use at worst. Though customer care is integral, not having technical documentation can also cost a business money—unhappy customers result in lost sales, or less return sales, high customer service expenses and pressingly, fines or penalties from regulatory bodies.
Whilst all these reasons are entrenched into the well-understood importance of technical writing, in 2024 and beyond, technical writing looks forward to an evolving role as information-sharing becomes ever more dynamic. Though traditionally, STEM industries have primarily required technical writing, technical documentation has an expanding role in the digital landscape, expanding to include sectors such as healthcare, finance and marketing. Whilst written documentation has a set a long-standing norm when it comes to instructions and manuals, technical writing may also be growing via online content creation, to produce instructional videos or interactive tutorials. Technology therefore not only impacts the industries requiring technical writing, but the terrain of technical writing itself. Given the rise of Virtual Reality (VR) assisting product design processes, and the increasing use of AI for predictive analytics, technical writers must shift the way they work, opening up exciting opportunities to push the boundaries of how information is both generated and delivered.
Whether you look at the way technical writing has upheld products and services across sectors for decades or look forward to the many ways technology development is calling for more innovative documentation, the bottom line is that technical writing will continue to be fundamental as the demand for clear and concise information-sharing continues to grow across various industries today.