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Do you work with a group of people a technical writer?
Am I working alone on a project or with a group?
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6 answers
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Oliver’s Answer
Working as a technical writer is both independent and collaborative.
You will own your own projects - but you will need to work across different teams to collect information. This could be eg. the product, the audience, the location/delivery of your work, and supporting docs (eg. videos).
You will need research skills, and the ability to test out your work for errors before going-live.
Your work may span many different subjects, so you will benefit from a desire to learn new things.
It will really depend on the industry you are in, as well. In an agile IT environment, you will also need to be agile - and regularly dip into previous scripts and re-write when there are product changes. In eg. hardware, where the product/service is more fixed, you may need fewer revisions.
Attention to detail, and good writing skills, are important!
Try taking an IKEA manual (all pictures) and translating into written instructions
Reach out to professionals for advice
Work on your technical skills & familiarity with the field you wish to join
You will own your own projects - but you will need to work across different teams to collect information. This could be eg. the product, the audience, the location/delivery of your work, and supporting docs (eg. videos).
You will need research skills, and the ability to test out your work for errors before going-live.
Your work may span many different subjects, so you will benefit from a desire to learn new things.
It will really depend on the industry you are in, as well. In an agile IT environment, you will also need to be agile - and regularly dip into previous scripts and re-write when there are product changes. In eg. hardware, where the product/service is more fixed, you may need fewer revisions.
Attention to detail, and good writing skills, are important!
Oliver recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Don’s Answer
As a technical writer, you'll work to understand the product or solution. You'll talk to Product Managers and Engineers. Also Product Marketing, and the Legal department. Product and Engineering will make sure you're technically correct. Marketing will make sure you're positioning it the way they want (versus competition and the market). Legal will make sure what you say is legal. You'll have a team that reviews and supports you.
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Jennifer’s Answer
Most projects of this type have to working as part of a team. Depending on the project or niche, the teams are typically small, but there's usually a support system of some kind!
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Paul’s Answer
In my experience technical writing involves collaboration among many different people. These may include: a project owner/manager, project sponsor, product design teams, business requester/leaders, legal, other authors, and the technical writer. It is often a collaboration with much back and forth between the parties. Being able to take feedback and implement are skills required in this role. Also being able to communicate your expertise helps to influence positive outcomes.
To answer the question posed, several hours of my day as a technical writer is spent by working individually. I do reach out with questions and collaborate with stakeholders daily. Having daily connections, help build your brand and your worth within the organization.
Wishing you the best.
To answer the question posed, several hours of my day as a technical writer is spent by working individually. I do reach out with questions and collaborate with stakeholders daily. Having daily connections, help build your brand and your worth within the organization.
Wishing you the best.
Updated
Chris’s Answer
Usually, yes, you work with a group. Sometimes multiple people are involved, especially to provide detail and review drafts. As a technical writer for many years, I have never worked alone.
I have had positions as a solo writer where I WAS the technical writing department and at a minimum I interviewed subject matter experts (SMEs) for details and to check my work. Sometimes you need to work with several SMEs on more complex projects. For instance, in one company, I had engineers, an infection control expert, a regulatory affairs expert, and a marketing person contribute to the final product.
It's very gratifying when it all comes together in a polished, useful, finished product. True team effort. And it's also a lot of fun!
I have had positions as a solo writer where I WAS the technical writing department and at a minimum I interviewed subject matter experts (SMEs) for details and to check my work. Sometimes you need to work with several SMEs on more complex projects. For instance, in one company, I had engineers, an infection control expert, a regulatory affairs expert, and a marketing person contribute to the final product.
It's very gratifying when it all comes together in a polished, useful, finished product. True team effort. And it's also a lot of fun!
Updated
Mickael’s Answer
Hi Quinten,
Unfortunately, that depends on the company and even the team. There are teams that interface a lot with their tech-writer engineers to make sure they provide the best documentation. Other, don't do that great of a job.
Some smaller companies even do not have tech-writers and you can read it when you come to their documentation.
That said, if the company is big enough, there will be a team of tech-writers so even in the case the engineers do not work with tech-writers directly, the tech-writers will interact with each other inside their team.
Unfortunately, that depends on the company and even the team. There are teams that interface a lot with their tech-writer engineers to make sure they provide the best documentation. Other, don't do that great of a job.
Some smaller companies even do not have tech-writers and you can read it when you come to their documentation.
That said, if the company is big enough, there will be a team of tech-writers so even in the case the engineers do not work with tech-writers directly, the tech-writers will interact with each other inside their team.