Technical Writing in the Digital Age: Difference between revisions

== Digital Technologies and Technical Writing==

With the rise of digital technology, technical writing has had to adapt to the needs of a digital era. However, many aspects of effective technical writing, such as remaining clear, concise, complete, and correct, still need to be applied to technical writing created for digital interfaces. <ref>Carroll, Brian. ''Writing for Digital Media''. Routledge. New York, 2010. p.24.</ref>

==Rhetorical Strategies in the Digital Age==

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===Digital Documentation===

Digital documentation is the conversion of physical documents into digital files, enabling easier access, retrieval, and sharing of information. It includes features like searchability, version control, and security measures to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.<ref name=":2">Lucas, Gerald (September 1, 2023). “Exploring the Dichotomy: A Comparative Analysis of Digital and Paper Documents.” Retrieved Oct 29, 2023. https://grlucas.net/grl/CompFAQ/Digital_Writing/Documents</ref>

====Accessibility====

Website content should be designed in accordance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to access the same information as those without disabilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-intro/ |title=Introduction to Web Accessibility |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Web Accessibility Initiative |access-date=October 26, 2023 }}</ref> It is a legal requirement to include accessibility features in website design.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wcag.com/legal/ |title=Accessibility and the Web |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=WCAG |access-date=October 26, 2023 }}</ref> There are four different types of impairment that can affect how a user interacts and perceives digital documents: vision, mobility, auditory, and cognitive. <ref> {{cite book | last = Robbins | first = Jennifer Niederst | title = Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics | publisher = O’Reilly Media, Inc. | edition = 5th | date = 2018 | location = Sebastopol, CA | page = 42 | isbn = 9781491960202}} </ref> Digital documents will need to be optimized so that information can be accessed by hardware and software tools used by people with disabilities.{{sfn|Barr|2010|p=103-104}}

Digital documents rely on the "Seven Cs" of precise writing to be effective and increase readability. Forms of technical writing must have readability. Readability is a term used to determine whether the content has clarity, conciseness and courtesy.<ref>Zeleznik, J. M., Burnett, R. E., & Benson, P. J. (1999). ''Technical Writing : What It Is and How to Do It''. National Book Network. p. 207.</ref> The other four Cs are coherent, concrete, correct and complete.<ref>Last, Suzan (2019). ''Technical Writing Essentials.'' Victoria, B.C. University of Victoria. ISBN: 9781550586657 https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/communicatingprecision/</ref>

In technical and professional writing, digital documentation takes various forms. These methods streamline the sharing of technical information, enhance collaboration, and ensure easy accessibility within professional settings, contributing to efficient communication and knowledge dissemination.

Infographics, shared as digital documents, typically combine text, graphics, and illustrations to convey complex concepts or data in a concise and visually appealing format. Infographics are often used to simplify information, making it more accessible to a broader audience, and are found in presentations, reports, websites, and educational materials. <ref>{{cite book

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Presentations created with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PowerPoint PowerPoint] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Slides Google Slides] are vital for professional communication and knowledge sharing. They condense complex information into visually appealing slides for effective presentations by using photos, videos, graphics, charts, and graphs.

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User experience is how a product works from the perspective of the user. Digital documents can be created with efficient user experiences by focusing on user-centered design and designing the document with the user in mind. <ref> {{cite book | last = Garrett | first = Jesse James | title = The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web and Beyond | publisher = New Riders | edition = 2nd | date = 2011 | location = Berkeley, CA | page = 17}} </ref>

Technical communicators also have to be careful to avoid plagiarism, or taking ideas, thoughts, or words from someone else and passing them off as ones own.<ref name=":5" />   

One major ethical concern in all forms of writing, but especially in digital writing, is the creation and spread of disinformation. Disinformation, often referred to as "[[w:Fake news|fake news]]," is information that is purposefully spread as false or misleading and is a sub-type of misinformation.<ref>Lawrence, Dan. (2022). ''Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web.'' Broadview Press. </ref> Modern communication technologies allow for the spread of information to occur at a fast pace. Social media is one area where the spread of disinformation occurs regularly. Some social media sites, such as Facebook, have begun to flag certain articles posted on the site as being questionable in their representation of facts or occurrences. Despite the widespread understanding and use of disinformation available today, digital writers need to be aware of their intent and the audience's needs and wants from their digital communication.<ref>Lucas, Gerald. (September 13, 2023). "Audience-Centric Style in Digital Writing" in ''From Reading to Writing: A Composition FAQ Textbook.'' Retrieved October 22, 2023. https://grlucas.net/grl/CompFAQ/Digital_Writing/Style</ref> Ethical considerations regarding citing sources, cross-referencing information, and using primary sources are good practices for maintaining ethical standing and credibility as a digital writer.

To help mitigate the problem of disinformation, technical writers should utilize gatekeepers. These individuals verify the accuracy of the information before it is distributed to primary readers. This helps protect the author from any ethical and/or legal issues.<ref name=":4">"Ethics" Balzotti, Jon (2022). ''Technical Communication: A Design-Centric Approach''. New York. Routledge. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-003-00606-0</ref>

Barriers to teaching technical communications include the speed at which digital tools evolve and the complexity of software. <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hovde |first1=Marjorie |last2=Renguette |first2=Corinne |date=2017 |title=Technological Literacy: A Framework for Teaching Technical Communication Software Tools |journal=Technical Communication Quarterly |volume=26 |pages=395-411 |doi=10.1080/10572252.2017.1385998}}</ref>

Among others, a prominent barrier to technical writers is the dependency on input information accuracy. Outdated, incorrect, or inconsistent data delays the publication, requires more reparative efforts, and decreases productivity. <ref>Common problems in technical writing and how to resolve them (componize.com)</ref> Also, Technical writers often have to contend with complex, outdated or unsuitable tools. This can make their job more difficult and time-consuming, and can lead to frustration and errors.<ref>[https://componize.com/common-problems-in-technical-writing-and-how-to-resolve-them/#:~:text=Technical%20writers%20often%20have%20to,longer%20supported%20by%20the%20vendor]</ref>

Artificial intelligence programs, utilizing natural language processing, are capable of producing technical writing and have advanced in recent years becoming more adept.<ref>{{cite web

| url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/01/23/how-chatgpt-and-natural-language-technology-might-affect-your-job-if-you-are-a-computer-programmer/?sh=6d9acf79174b

==References==

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*{{cite book |last=Carroll |first=Brian |date=2010 |title=Writing for Digital Media |url= |location=New York |publisher=Routledge }}