They may produce material for a mass-market audience, such as instructions for:
installing or using a software application
assembling a piece of flat-pack furniture
using a car component, burglar alarm or mobile telephone.
Other guidance is aimed at more specialised groups, for example:
reports on the results of clinical trials, for a medical audience
guidance on aerospace or defence systems, written for the people who will operate them.
The authored document may take many forms - from a simple leaflet to a multi-volume manual. Increasingly, technical authors prepare material for other formats, such as CD-ROM, video and websites.
Daily tasks may include:
meeting colleagues to discuss technology and authoring requirements
deciding how best to organise and present the document
commissioning any photographs or illustrations required
writing the material clearly and concisely, making sure it can be easily understood by the target audience
editing, proofreading and indexing
testing the written material with users.
To ensure they understand the subject thoroughly, technical authors must work closely with colleagues such as engineers or developers. They may also liaise with printers, translators and other suppliers to prepare the finished document.
In some organisations, technical authors work as part of a writing team. Other employers have only one in-house author. They may use design and publishing software, or other specialist software for creating online help systems.