What is the difference between ‘Technical Writing’ and ‘Technical Content Writing’?

1. What is the difference between ‘Technical Writing’ and ‘Technical Content Writing’? “Looking to hire a technical writer who can write blog articles for a tech-based startup. At least 2 years of experience in the IT field is mandatory.” Does that sound familiar? To me, it does sound familiar because every day I see such posts on Linkedin, Facebook, and other job groups. From startups to large enterprises, everyone is making the same mistake of referring to technical content writers as technical writers. There is a world of difference between Technical Content Writing and Technical Documentation (aka Technical Writing) which businesses need to understand before they start looking for one.

2. What is the difference between ‘Technical Writing’ and ‘Technical Content Writing’? To begin with, Technical content writing is restricted to online content (blog articles, website content, white papers and more!) related to technologies. For example, an article about MacOS is a piece of technical content writing. On the other hand, Technical Documentation refers to a software/product/application- specific content such as User Manual, Developer Guide, Troubleshooting guide and more! For example, an article about –“How to update your MacOS?” is a piece of Technical Documentation (aka Technical Writing) because it is independent of the technology and more specific to the product/application/software. To be more specific, go through the below pointers that specifically describe the difference between technical documentation/technical writing and technical content writing. Technical Documentation is a more structured method of writing that abides by certain style guides such as Microsoft Manual of Style; whereas technical content writing, which is more of content writing, doesn’t follow any specific international style standards, but provides the user with the flexibility to implement creative writing styles on the writeup. Technical Documentation mostly comprises content related to the Software Usage, Troubleshooting, Install/Uninstall Guides. High-level technical documentation includes requirement documents, developer guides, test cases and more. On the other hand, technical content writing mostly refers to the articles related to technologies such as “Benefits of Blockchain technology”, “Use of Artificial Intelligence in eCommerce”, and more! It is often misunderstood that technical writers are people who pen down technical articles on blogs and whitepapers. Although, as much research is needed to write down a whitepaper, it is not necessarily a technical document that an organization would use to develop a product or software application.

3. On the contrary, technical documents are the guides, which the development and testing teams in large organizations rely on to create products and applications. Any slight error in the technical document will cause disastrous effects on the product development lifecycle. Technical Documentation Specialists are trained experts who know the ins and outs of the product under development; or has already been developed, in order to be able to develop the necessary documentation that’s crucial for both the development team and the end-user. On the other hand, technical content writers are those people who are tech-savvy and stay updated with the latest happenings in the technical domains, thus being able to pin down the current and future prospects of specific technologies. We hope this article provides a clear understanding of the difference between technical content writing, technical writing, and technical documentation. Next time, when you are hiring a technical writer, make sure you include the proper heading on your job post. For more help in hiring a writer for your business, contact support@contenuwriting.com