Writing for Technical Audiences

📄 The Importance of Knowing Your Audience in Technical Writing When it comes to technical writing, the key isn’t just in the details—it’s in knowing your audience. The way information is communicated can make or break its effectiveness. For example, when a local municipality provides construction standards to engineers, the information needs to be concise and accessible—think .dwg files for AutoCAD, not lengthy documents filled with photos. The audience here is highly technical, and they need quick access to the specs for their designs. No fluff, just the essentials. On the flip side, if you’re creating work instructions for a shop floor, the approach is entirely different. These documents must be visual, engaging, and easy to follow because the folks on the floor don’t have time for a five-minute video or a wall of text. They need quick, actionable steps to keep production moving smoothly. And if you’re drafting a data analytics report? You’ll likely need to balance between clear visuals like charts for quick insights and detailed data for those who need to dive deep. Consider who will be reading it—executives may prefer a concise summary, while data scientists will appreciate the detailed numbers. The biggest pitfall in technical writing is forgetting the audience. It’s not just about capturing every technical detail or documenting precisely what happened. The goal is to create something useful for the reader. Whether it’s an engineer needing specific data, a floor worker needing a quick instruction, or a consumer needing an easy-to-follow guide, the writing must be tailored to them. Lego, for example, nails this with their instructions. They know their audience—kids—and craft guides that are visual, step-by-step, and engaging. That’s what makes them effective. So, before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), ask yourself: Who is my audience? How much time will they spend on this? What do they need to get out of it? Remember, technical writing isn’t about showing off your knowledge; it’s about transferring that knowledge efficiently and effectively to the right people. Tailor your message to fit their needs, and you’ll ensure your work is not only read but used. ✍️ Know your audience. Tailor your writing. Make it count.

Clear, concise #documentation isn't just a preference anymore (especially in the age of LLM parsing), it's a necessity. As technical writers, our goal should be to help users accomplish their tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible, not to showcase our vocabulary or complex writing abilities. All writing is a means to an end but for technical writing, function trumps form. Simple sentence structures, clear headings, and straightforward instructions help reduce confusion/info overload for readers who are often trying to solve immediate problems. When we eliminate unnecessary jargon, break down complex ideas into digestible chunks, and focus on direct, active voice, we create documentation that actually serves its purpose. Remember: The best #technicalwriting is the kind that gets out of the user's way and lets them get back to their work with a bit more know-how and knowledge than they had before. #TechnicalWriting #Documentation #TechComm #UX #ContentStrategy #Tech

In my 14yrs career in engineering working for Big Tech companies such as Google and Uber, there is no other skill I used more than writing. And no, I don’t mean writing code. I mean English writing. Emails, Design Docs, Presentations, Feedback, Code Reviews, you name it. Here's how I make my written communication clear, effective, and punchy. 👇 Written communication can sometimes be daunting, especially for non-native speakers—like me. That’s why I wanted to share  the 6 questions that I use when writing anything. This helps me communicate more effectively and connect with my audience better. 1. Who is my target audience? Identify the specific group or individuals you are speaking to. Knowing your audience assists you in customizing your writing to meet their requirements and interests. 2. What is my main objective or purpose? Clarify the primary goal of your writing. Whether it's to inform, persuade, entertain, or educate, knowing your objective guides your content. 3. What key points do I want to convey? Identify the main idea or key points you want to communicate. This will help you stay focused and make sure your message is clear and logical. 4. Why should the reader care about this? Consider the value or benefit your writing offers to the reader. Highlight how it addresses their needs or solves a problem. 5. Is my writing clear, concise, and organized? Make sure your content is clear and easy to understand. Keep the flow logical and avoid using complex language or jargon that might confuse the reader. 6. Can I make my writing shorter? The answer is always yes. So make sure to edit edit edit. Brevity saves time for both the writer and the reader. What else would you add to this list? How does your writing process look like? ♻️ Please repost if you found this useful

SaaS companies, stop overcomplicating your content. Yes, you’re creating an advanced solution. But if you can’t explain it simply – your customers won’t understand it. And what happens when they don’t get it? 👉 Confusion 👉 Frustration 👉 No conversions Here’s the fix: 1/ Break it down Use everyday language. And when things get technical, try: • Give an example – Walk them through a real-life scenario • Provide an analogy – Compare it to something they already understand 2/ Focus on clarity Make every sentence count. You should: • Cut the fluff – Keep things direct and easy to digest • Avoid jargon – Don’t alienate your audience with technical terms 3/ Guide them step-by-step Lead them through the process by: • Creating a roadmap – Show them the clear path to the solution • Using simple steps – Break down your solution into bite-sized actions Simple, clear, and relatable content drives conversions. PS. Share it with a technical founder who struggles to communicate their product’s value.

Do your user stories create clarity or confusion for developers and stakeholders alike? The majority of Business analysts and Product management professionals face difficulties in writing user stories that capture both functional features and technical debt. The key is clarity and alignment. In my experience as a Business Analyst, following the simple INVEST principle gives a lot of clarity to the stakeholders. Let’s break it down with a simple analogy, making it easier for Business Analysts to understand INVEST principles to ensure they are well-structured, clear, and valuable💡 📍Understand the End Goal: Ensure the story is Independent – it should be able to stand on its own without being reliant on other stories. Example: If you’re adding a new role-based access feature, ensure this story can be developed independently from the ongoing performance improvements. 📍Collaborate with Developers: Make the story Negotiable – Open a dialogue between you and the developers to allow for flexibility and refinement. Example: While planning a technical debt story to refactor a module, ask developers about potential improvements and allow space for them to suggest changes. 📍Write from the User's Perspective: Stories should be Valuable – Focus on how the feature or technical improvement provides value to the end-user or system. Example: "As a user, I need faster load times so I can complete my tasks more efficiently," showcases the direct value of addressing performance-related technical debt.  📍Prioritize Clarity Over Complexity: Ensure your stories are Estimable – The team should be able to estimate the effort involved with confidence. Example: Break down a large technical debt item like refactoring the login system into smaller, more manageable tasks so the team can estimate effort accurately. 📍Include Acceptance Criteria: Your story should be Small – Write stories that are small enough to be completed in a single sprint. Example: Instead of "Improve security across all modules," break it down: "Enhance login security by implementing multi-factor authentication. 📍Balance Functional and Technical Stories: Make your stories Testable – Define clear acceptance criteria so both functional and technical stories can be tested upon completion. Example: "As a user, I want the dashboard to load in under 2 seconds, so I don’t face delays." The criteria would be to validate the loading time with performance testing. 📍Use Visual Tools for Clarity: Keep stories Independent and Valuable by providing visual aids like diagrams to ensure the team can proceed with minimal dependencies. Example: For a complex functional feature, you could draw out a workflow showing how data flows, ensuring developers and stakeholders understand each step. P.S. I'm Punyadeep Chanda. I write about my personal and professional learnings in #ProductManagement #WealthManagement #CapitalMarkets and #InvestmentBanking. Hope this helps many✨ #businessanalyst #businessanalysis

How it started: v1 How its going: finalv17_FINAL(1)(1) One of the hardest jobs for PMMs? Writing for unique technical audiences. Your launches need to be specific for one ICP. But also have simple language for non technical users. 3 pro tips with examples for you: 👇 1. YOU NEED MULTI AUDIENCE MESSAGING For engineers: “The API utilizes OAuth 2.0 for secure token-based authentication.” For general business users: “You’ll need to log in using a secure token to access the system’s data – similar to logging into an app with Google” Make sure you build glossaries for mixed audiences. Get into the habit of writing for each cohort. 2. YOU NEED TO CUT "WEASEL WORDS" One of the biggest mistakes PMMs make is passive voice. ALWAYS use active voice where you can. ❌ “A test was conducted in which the stress levels of the component were evaluated” ✅ “We tested the component’s stress levels” No weasel words. Make it scannable. 3. YOUR MESSAGING STRUCTURE MATTERS Here's a feature guide flow I like: - What the feature is - Why it matters (value prop) - When to use it (use case) - How to use it (step-by-step or demo) - FAQs or troubleshooting tips Break these out into cohort based flows. You can even personalize landing pages by cohort. So when a specific ICP hits your homepage lets say? You swap your standard FAQ block to one written for them. 📌 BONUS TIP FOR YOU: Find a brand you admire with a similar technical audience. Go find a product release of theirs you loved. Now pull up a new Google doc. Copy it word for word. Famous writers have been doing this for years. Hunter Thompson used to copy the Great Gatsby. And entire books by Hemmingway. It's called "Copywork" It forces you to slow down and see things like Their writing structure Sentence flow Word choice Etc Do this a few times and you'll fast track learning how to write for your more complex technical audiences plus its a great way to level up your positioning and messaging skills too. P.S. What would you add PMMs? Helpful? ♻️ Repost to share

UCLA failed to teach me how to write for software engineering. At Amazon & Meta, I spent 1000s of hours learning how to write through trial and error. I reduced what I learned into 5 simple points: 1. Audience first, always - Be clear on who you're writing for and what the goal of the communication is. Your message should always be tailored to your audience. 2. Grab their attention - Put what is new, interesting or urgent at the beginning of your message. The reader won't read the rest of your message if the first line doesn't grab them. 3. Write simply - The easier your writing is to understand, the more the audience will engage with your ideas. One way to do this is to write like you talk. 4. Be concise - If you can remove words yet keep the same meaning you should remove them. Otherwise, you're forcing the audience to spend effort filtering out the words that don't matter. 5. Make it skimmable - Most people skim what they read (especially if it's longer). Break down your large paragraphs, bullet your lists, and add section headings to make it easy for them to skim. If your writing isn't landing, it's often because (1) and therefore (2) isn't being done well.

Writing for Developers vs. End-users: Are you speaking their language? Tailoring documentation is about meeting the unique needs of specific audiences. Common challenges include: • Writing with the same depth for all readers • Overloading content with unnecessary details • Assuming one-size-fits-all solutions work Using strategies like modular documentation, layered content, and clear visuals can make a significant difference. Here’s how to improve documentation for developers and end-users: 1. Developers need precise details. • Avoid fluff and focus on functionality and examples. 2. End-users need simple, actionable steps. • Provide guidance without assuming technical expertise. 3. Use modular guides to balance scope. • Quick-starts for simplicity and advanced guides for detailed use cases. 4. Leverage tools like conditional publishing. • Dynamic filters or CCMS enable tailored content delivery. 5. Test documentation to ensure effectiveness. • Does it meet developers' technical needs? • Can end-users follow instructions without confusion? Effective documentation bridges the gap between users and solutions. Which audience do you write for more often, developers or end-users? Share your experience below! Want more career insights for writers: 1. Follow Joshua Gene Fechter 2. Like the post. 3. Repost to your network.

At this point, we can all spot AI copy a mile away. It starts with grand declarations (“In today’s digital landscape”) and ends with clunky signposts like “In conclusion.” Readers tune out the second they see those tells. If you want your writing to sound like it came from a human mind (like yours), you need to know the AI junk to avoid and what to use instead. 1. Skip the “big sweeping” intros. AI loves to start with grand statements like “In today’s digital landscape” or “Since the dawn of the internet.” But people don’t talk like that. Instead, drop readers right into the problem or question they care about. (That's good practice in general! Get to the good stuff immediately.) 2. Avoid fake urgency and clichés. Phrases like “Technology is advancing at a rapid pace” or “In this age of digital transformation” are meaningless filler. If the pace of evolution really matters, demonstrate it with data or a concrete example. 3. Skip the warm-up. Phrases like “This article will explore…” or “Here are some tips” just delay the real value. Junior writers (and AI) often fall into this "narration trap." Cut the intro. Start with the point. A clear first sentence is stronger (and more respectful of your reader’s time). 4. Stop saying “Let’s dive in." People rarely say that outside of AI copy. If you need a transition, be specific: “Now let's set this up in AWS.” 5. Watch out for formulaic comparisons. Phrases like “AI is not just a tool, it’s a revolution” or “X is not just Y, it’s Z” scream template. Reframe in plain language: “AI helps with grunt work, but you can also use it to help shape your strategy.” 6. Don’t list your entire audience. AI defaults to “Whether you’re a junior developer or a CTO…” Skip the roll call. Write to one clear audience, their challenges and experiences, and trust they’ll recognize themselves. 7. Quit being Captain Obvious. “It’s no secret that cybersecurity is important.” No kidding! No one thinks that's a secret. Instead, get specific: “Most breaches still start with stolen passwords.” 8. Anchor big ideas in real-world detail. Instead of saying “Cloud computing has fascinated businesses for decades,” show the shift: “Netflix used to mail DVDs. Now it runs on AWS.” The choice is simple: write bilge, or write helpful content that gets read. "Let's dive in!" 😁