It’s easy to start thinking in terms of tools and technologies, without stopping to consider what a technical communicator needs to do for you and your readers. We believe that the role is far broader than is widely understood, drawing as it does on a synthesis of skills in business, technology, communication and user advocacy.

Our work is built on a solid foundation of experience and education, allowing us to understand the full spectrum of issues and to ensure that our clients' business and technical communications truly fulfil their needs. We are not constrained by how we normally do things but instead apply our knowledge to your specific requirements.

What is technical communication?

Technical communication encompasses all the activities that go into the creation of a wide range of publications. It is sometimes known as document design and there is overlap with the wider field of information design. As the amount of information around us proliferates and communication channels become ever more diverse, the communicator's role becomes increasingly complex.

The key point about technical communication is that it is far more than ‘just’ generating documents. It embraces audience analysis, technical research, document design, writing, illustration, validation, usability testing and feedback processing.

What experience do we have?

We’ve worked extensively in the documentation of large software projects for diverse applications in varied sectors. Our experience spans electronics, defence, flight simulation, banking, courier services, recruitment, order management and purchasing.

We’ve written user guides, system management procedures, support manuals and reference guides. More recently, we’ve diversified into other literature, from brochures to application notes, from newsletters to press releases.

What tools do we use?

We use Adobe Creative Suite (including InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator) for our journal publishing work. We also have substantial experience in Adobe FrameMaker, a leading desktop publishing tool.

In response to our clients’ requirements, we often use Microsoft Word for authoring and then convert completed documents to Portable Document Format (PDF) for publication.

What qualifications do we have?

Our commercial work is based on an understanding of the theories and principles that underpin best practice. For many years, the sole qualification for technical communication in the UK was the Certificate in Technical Authorship offered by the City and Guilds of London Institute. More recently, graduate and postgraduate degrees have become available.