Types of Document (Technical Writing)

Generally Technical Writers have an idea about the types of documents in IT companies. The documents include marketing documents, reporting documents, instruction documents, and general documents. Technical Writers need to understand the users’/clients’ needs before writing such types of documents. Format and style and conventions of documents are also different to each others.

Probably documents have particular or own format e.g. letters, white papers, manuals, online helps etc. It depends on the user to whom we are going to write such types of document. There might be only two questions that technical writers need to ask themselves during the audience-analysis phase:

What does the user know about the thing I (Technical Writer) am writing about?
What does the user want to know about the thing I (Technical Writer) am writing about?

Marketing Documents: Technical Writers write marketing documents such as brochure, case study, press release, product handbook, marketing script, advertising copy, white paper and data sheet. Generally the intended audience of such type of documentation is general. It’s not specific one. Anybody can read it.

Reporting Documents: Technical Writers have skills to write different type of documents. Reporting documentation is one of the types of document. Reporting documents include magazine and newspaper articles, technical paper, annual report, and website.

Instructing Document: Intention of this type of document is to instruct to lay persons those don’t know the particular applications. Technical writers try to match the level of technical language with the audience’s level of proficiency while writing such type of documents. The documents include user manual, installation manual, glossary, training material, online tutorials, and quick start guides.

General Documents: This is a part of day today writing. The documents include resume, letter etc.