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If you’ve ever spent time wading through dense technical documentation, you know that communicating complex information is an art. These texts are often packed with dry details and jargon — typically a total snoozefest for anyone but an expert. However, it can be enlightening and even fascinating when a technical document strikes the right balance between technical descriptions and vivid language.
Choosing the right types of technical writing will help you create the most accessible and engaging content. Different industries rely on specific kinds of documents to communicate with their audiences. For instance, software firms create user manuals to teach non-technical customers about their products, while healthcare professionals write medical papers for other specialists.
Understanding technical writing documents will allow your organization to effectively share information in different contexts. This guide explores 13 popular technical documents, their purposes, and target audiences. It also highlights real-world types of technical writing examples to show how businesses use each type to communicate accurately and clearly.
1. User Manuals and Product Documentation
Companies that develop technical devices and consumer products often create product documentation and user manuals. These documents provide essential information about using the products and troubleshooting common issues.
As the name implies, product documentation contains in-depth information about a product’s features and applications. These documents are typically aimed at experts who can easily grasp complex instructions and technical specifications.
For example, the biomedical company Medtronic created an 84-page device manual for its Micra™ AV MC1AVR1, an advanced transcatheter pacing system. The product documentation uses headings, bold text, and bullet points to organize and simplify intricate details. Healthcare professionals can quickly skim the document to find necessary information, such as safety warnings and technical descriptions of the hardware.
The manual also includes diagrams and detailed instructions that guide medical professionals in properly handling and implanting the sophisticated device. In the high-stakes medical field, clearly written content can make the difference between a successful procedure and a fatal medical error.
On the other hand, user manuals are designed for customers. Their goal is to help the general public quickly understand how to use the products. They typically don’t have detailed technical specifications — if your grandma doesn’t need it to operate the product, it’s probably not included.
Businesses create user manuals for a wide range of products, from appliances to software to remote-controlled cars. These documents provide essential information, like assembly instructions and safety precautions. Software user manuals may also include instructions for integrating the program with other technology.
The Keurig K-Elite user manual educates customers on how to operate and care for the coffee maker. Only seven pages long, it has simple instructions written in direct language. The document also features several diagrams to demonstrate each step visually.
Creating accessible and precise user manuals is essential for customer safety and satisfaction. Clear instructions help prevent user errors that could lead to injury or product damage, like inserting a Keurig pod during the cleaning cycle. Effective user manuals also reduce confusion and frustration, so customers are less likely to return the products — or write a scathing review.
2. Technical Proposals
Even the most successful businesses often need to pitch their products and services to clients. A technical proposal outlines how you plan to address the customer’s pain points and deliver effective solutions.
The format of technical proposals varies by industry, but they often include these key elements:
- Executive summary
- Detailed project description
- Project scope
- Technical requirements
- Implementation plan
- Deliverables
- Timeline
- Budget
- Necessary resources
These technical documents address clients, so they must balance accessibility and depth — detailed enough for a knowledgeable audience but not so dense that they risk boring or confusing the reader. Technical writers often collaborate with product developers, software engineers, and other experts to create accurate and compelling proposals.
Deloitte created a technical proposal for a waiver application for the Georgia Department of Community Health (GDCH). The 17-page document outlines their proposed approach, a detailed timeline, and how the company plans to address potential challenges. Deloitte uses colorful charts and concise language to present its key points persuasively. This successful proposal allowed the consulting firm to secure a nearly $2 million contract with the GDCH.
By creating well-crafted proposals, technical writers help clients picture potential solutions and understand how your organization can meet their needs. These documents also set clear expectations from the start so customers know exactly what they’re committing to.
3. White Papers
A white paper is a detailed report that provides comprehensive data and insights into an industry trend or a specific issue. Companies in all sectors use technical white papers for two primary purposes:
- To educate industry experts, customers, and other stakeholders
- To establish their authority on the subject
These documents typically assume that the target audience has foundational knowledge about the topic, so they don’t waste time on the basics. For instance, a white paper on social media trends probably won’t spend pages explaining how Instagram works or who invented TikTok.
However, white papers still focus on presenting data and findings in an accessible and clear manner. To accomplish this, they often include summaries and visualizations to simplify complex datasets.
LCS's “The Future of Senior Living” white paper examines trends and anticipated challenges in the senior living industry. Large font with blue and green text calls attention to key quotes and insights, such as, “The 75+ population will nearly double from 2023 to 2060.”
The white paper also visualizes key datasets in colorful charts, allowing readers to spot patterns at a glance. By highlighting emerging trends, this document can help senior living leaders make strategic decisions about their housing models.
White papers help organizations position themselves as industry leaders by sharing cutting-edge knowledge. Many businesses gate these documents, meaning readers can only access them by providing their contact information. This strategy helps companies attract new leads who are already interested in their expertise.
Additionally, white papers often subtly or explicitly promote products or services. For instance, the LCS white paper ends with a brief note about the company’s senior living management solutions.
4. Case Studies
A case study provides an in-depth analysis of how a client used a product or service to achieve a goal or overcome a specific challenge. Combining expository and technical writing, it vividly narrates the process while spotlighting key metrics.
In many ways, a case study is like a hero’s journey — the client faces a challenge, embarks on a quest, and (with the business’s help) ultimately accomplishes their goals. Direct quotes from the customer provide personal insights, while statistics emphasize the tangible value of the product or service.
Adobe published a case study detailing how Prudential Financial used its software to streamline content creation. The document narrates how Prudential implemented the software and how the tools improved its operations.
The case study also includes quotes from Bridget Esposito, the creative director who oversaw the project. Impressive statistics like “365% YoY increase in number of people engaged” emphasize the software’s huge impact.
5. API Documentation
Many software companies use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to allow their products to communicate with other programs. API documentation explains how users — typically software developers or product managers — can access and interact with the API.
These instruction manuals describe technical processes and specifications, such as:
- Authentication methods
- Code examples
- Error messages and how to resolve them
- Terms of use
Reddit’s API documentation includes detailed instructions for accessing the platform’s endpoints, which are contact points that allow outside applications to request or send information. The document explains how users can interact with these endpoints for tasks like retrieving content or adding custom emojis to a subreddit. These clear, detailed instructions allow developers to use the API efficiently.
6. SDK Technical Documentation
A software development kit (SDK) is a set of tools and libraries for creating software applications for various platforms. Like a gingerbread kit, it contains pre-assembled pieces that developers can use to build apps more efficiently than starting from scratch.
Clear and detailed SDK documentation helps developers learn how to use the kit quickly and prevents time-consuming mistakes. Effective guides include step-by-step instructions for common tasks, such as importing data and testing applications. A technical writer may also add code samples, a glossary of terms, and other helpful resources.
Google Firebase is a popular SDK that allows users to build and improve mobile and web applications. It helps the audience set everything up — from installing the kit to using built-in artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Users can switch between tabs to view sample code for iOS, Android, JavaScript, and Flutter.
7. Scientific and Medical Papers
Scientific and medical papers present research findings and case studies. Written by and for specialists, they contain complex data analysis and detailed descriptions of experiments and methodologies. They also frequently include charts, graphs, and other visualizations to highlight patterns and trends in the data.
A scientific paper published in Global Change Biology studies how 100 articles use the term “carbon sequestration.” The paper describes the researchers’ methodologies, provides an in-depth analysis of the articles, and concludes by encouraging scientists to use consistent vocabulary. A table outlines the survey criteria, allowing readers to quickly grasp the study’s framework and potentially replicate it.
8. Technical Reports
Technical reports describe the outcomes of a project or study. Like scientific and medical papers, they often include introductions, methodologies, results, and recommendations. These reports also use data visualizations to illustrate findings and provide supporting evidence. However, they aren’t peer-reviewed and may only circulate internally.
In 2024, Microsoft published a technical report on the use of generative AI in the workplace. The document uses headers and subheaders to organize the information into clear sections so users can easily find key topics. This structure also allows the researchers to build a logical argument about how AI affects workplace productivity.
9. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Policies
Standard operating procedures provide clear instructions for completing specific tasks — think of them as checklists that help employees repeat actions consistently. Policies, on the other hand, are broader. They outline an organization’s overall mission, values, rules, and other big-picture concepts.
For example, the University of Michigan has comprehensive SOPs and policies for research and sponsored projects. These guidelines cover proposals, resource allocation, compliance, and other essential topics. Descriptive section headers allow users to find the information they need quickly.
These technical communications help employees follow your organization’s values and make ethical decisions. They also reduce the risk of confusion or uncertainty when staff encounter new scenarios.
10. Instructional and Training Documentation
Instructional and training documentation helps users learn new procedures or skills. These documents break complex processes down into smaller, easy-to-follow steps. They may also include best practices, examples, and other practical resources.
NEXSURE has developed a 22-chapter training manual for its customer relationship management software. These exhaustive materials educate users about every aspect of the program, from managing clients to creating invoices. The manual includes plenty of screenshots to help the audience visualize critical features and steps.
Effective training documentation helps users improve their performance and complete tasks more consistently. It also boosts confidence and decreases errors.
11. Business and Project Plans
Every company needs a solid business plan. This roadmap outlines the organization’s long-term goals and strategies for accomplishing them. In contrast, a project plan is a smaller-scale blueprint for short-term initiatives. These documents guide internal decision-making and may persuade investors to take a chance on a new company.
Most companies don’t share their business and project plans online to protect their intellectual property and trade secrets. However, the U.S. Small Business Administration has sample plans. For instance, a business plan for "We Can Do It Consulting" includes an executive summary, market research, and other vital components.
12. Technical Editing
Technical editors review complex documents for accuracy, clarity, and grammatical correctness. They make sure that the target audience can quickly grasp the content. A skilled editor can transform a confusing, jargon-filled document into a clear and engaging resource.
In this example, a technical editor worked their magic by making the guidelines more concise and direct. They also underlined key words and rearranged the formatting for faster comprehension. This technical editing transformed the document from dense instructions to a skimmable, user-friendly manual.
13. Proposals and Requests for Proposals
A request for proposal (RFP) describes a planned project and invites vendors to submit bids. In turn, proposals are the documents contractors create in response to RFPs, outlining their approach and pricing. Clearly written RFPs help organizations attract appealing, realistic bids that meet their expectations.
The San Francisco Film Commission published an RFP for their Film Space Grant. The document includes an overview of the project, a description of the application process, a budget proposal template, and additional guidelines to help applicants submit proposals.
Find the Best Writers To Produce Flawless Technical Content
There are many types of technical writing documents, from API documentation to training manuals. Adapting your organization’s messaging to different formats and audiences lets you convey information as effectively as possible.
Of course, not every organization has the resources — or the desire — for in-house technical content writing. So, why not outsource technical writing with Compose.ly? Our skilled team has the industry knowledge and writing chops to translate complex information into compelling, polished documents.
Explore our technical writing services to learn more.
