What are the best ways to create clear and concise technical documentation?

2 Use plain language

Creating clear and concise technical documentation begins with the use of plain language. Plain language is a type of writing that is straightforward, without any unnecessary jargon, acronyms, or technical terms. This helps readers understand your message quickly and easily. To achieve this, use common words that your audience can relate to, short and simple sentences that focus on one idea at a time, active voice and verbs that show action and responsibility, headings, subheadings, lists, tables, diagrams to organize and highlight your information, examples, scenarios, and analogies to make your points more concrete, and consistent and accurate terminology and definitions throughout your document.

4 Be concise and precise

Creating clear and concise technical documentation requires conciseness and precision in writing. This type of writing uses the least number of words while conveying the most amount of meaning, without compromising clarity or accuracy. This helps your audience save time and effort, while avoiding repetition or redundancy. To be concise and precise, eliminate unnecessary words such as filler words, modifiers, or qualifiers. Avoid vague or ambiguous words like "some", "many", or "very" and instead opt for specific and concrete words like numbers, names, or facts. You can also replace long phrases or clauses with shorter words or symbols, such as replacing "due to the fact that" with "because" or "in order to" with "to". Additionally, use parallelism and coordination to combine related ideas or information into one sentence or list.

5 Review and revise

The fifth step to creating clear and concise technical documentation is to review and revise your document. This will help you check and improve the writing quality, accuracy, and consistency, as well as identify and correct any errors or gaps. Furthermore, it allows you to make sure that your document meets the needs and expectations of your audience. To review and revise your document, use a checklist or rubric to evaluate it against your criteria and objectives. Additionally, use a spell checker, grammar checker, or style guide to detect and fix any spelling, grammar, or formatting issues. Moreover, ask for feedback from peers, colleagues, or experts to get a different perspective on your document. Lastly, use testing or usability methods such as user testing, walkthroughs, or surveys to measure and enhance its effectiveness and usability.

6 Be creative and innovative

The sixth and final step to creating clear and concise technical documentation is to be creative and innovative. Writing that is original, novel, and engaging can help you stand out from the crowd, capture and retain your audience's attention, and add value and personality to your document. To achieve this, consider storytelling techniques such as narratives, characters, or plots. Visual aids like images, videos, or animations can also complement and enhance your text. Additionally, interactive features like hyperlinks, buttons, or menus can make your document more dynamic and flexible. You can also use humor, metaphors, or analogies for a fun and engaging document. Examples, testimonials, or case studies can make your document more credible and persuasive.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?