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Description

Do you know the difference between a useful product and a frustrating one?
Clear instructions.
As hundreds of apps and software products launch every day, someone needs to explain how they work in simple language so that everyone can use them. That's where technical writers come in.
Today's consumers come from all walks of life.  Companies are hiring technical writers to write instructional content that is easy to understand by people from all ages, backgrounds and abilities. If done right, it keeps customers happy, engaged and successful at using a product.
Technical writing is in high demand right now and it's a great career in tech. In this course, I teach you how to write instructions for everyone. It's the most important skill you need to apply for exciting technical writing positions across a wide range of industries.
Instructions are at the heart of technical writing. They come in these three most common forms:
FAQs
Step-by-step
Troubleshooting
Once you master these forms of instructional writing, you’ll be able to create all kinds of technical documentation including:
Help articles
Troubleshooting guides
Customer service scripts
Setup guides
Release notes
Workflows
User manuals
Instruction manuals
Procedure documents
And so much more
In this course you'll learn how to write these types of instructions through short, digestible video lessons, fun quizzes and hands-on assignments, where you step into the shoes of a newly hired technical writer at a fictional fitness app company.
You'll meet Lucy the product manager and Florian the member support manager. You'll learn how to collaborate with them to create high quality knowledge base articles and troubleshooters for your huge members' community.
This course is taught by Leigh Hartzman, a content and localization strategist at Google. She's spent many years perfecting her ability to write clear and concise instructions for a wide range of products. In this course, she shares her technical writing style essentials and clarity hacks with you. In this course, she shares her technical writing style essentials and clarity hacks with you. In this course, she shares her technical writing style essentials and clarity hacks with you.
Who this course is for:
Beginner writers who are curious about pursuing a career in technical writing.

What you'll learn

What is required to start working on instructional content for digital and physical products

How to prepare, structure and develop instructions that help people use apps, software, electronics, machinery and consumer products

The basics of well-structured writing

How to write the most widely used types of instructions: FAQs, how-to articles and troubleshooters

Today's top technical writing trends: knowledge bases, internal knowledge, chatbots & more

Technical writing style essentials

Requirements

  • You will need a copy of Adobe XD 2019 or above. A free trial can be downloaded from Adobe.
  • No previous design experience is needed.
  • No previous Adobe XD skills are needed.

Course Content

27 sections • 95 lectures
Expand All Sections
1-An overview of technical writing
11
1.1-What is technical writing?
1.2-Check your knowledge
1.3-Who is technical writing for?
1.4-Check your knowledge
1.5-What do technical writers create?
1.6-Check your knowledge
1.7-Who do technical writers work with?
1.8-Check your knowlege
1.9-What skills do you need as a technical writer?
1.10-Check your knowledge
1.11-5 myths about technical writing
2-Different types of technical writing
10
2.1-The rise of technical writing in a tech-driven world
2.2-Check your knowledge
2.3-Product academies
2.4-Check your knowledge
2.5-Knowledge bases
2.6-Check your knowledge
2.7-Internal knowledge
2.8-Check your knowledge
2.9-Chatbots
2.10-Check your knowledge
3-Spotlight on internal knowledge
8
3.1-Why internal knowledge is so hot right now
3.2-What is internal knowledge?
3.3-Check your knowledge
3.4-The benefits of internal knowledge
3.5-Test your knowledge
3.6-Skills you need to write internal knowledge
3.7-Test your knowledge
3.8-How to find jobs in internal knowledge
4-Instructions: The heart of technical writing
7
4.1-3 types of instructions every technical writer should master
4.2-FAQs
4.3-Test your knowledge
4.4-Step-by-step instructions
4.5-Test your knowledge
4.6-Troubleshooting instructions
4.7-Test your knowledge
5-How to write FAQs
10
5.1-Recap: What are FAQs?
5.2-Step 1: Research
5.3-Test your knowledge
5.4-Step 2: Categorize your research
5.5-Let's practice!
5.6-Step 3: Write the title and the intro
5.7-Let's practice!
5.8-Step 3: Write the questions and answers
5.9-Let's practice!
5.10-Practice writing FAQs
6-How to write step-by-step instructions
10
6.1-Recap: What are step-by-step instructions?
6.2-Define your audience
6.3-Test your knowledge
6.4-Let's practice!
6.5-Break down your instructions into "tasks"
6.6-Test your knowledge
6.7-Create an outline
6.8-Let's practice!
6.9-Write the step-by-step instructions
6.10-Let's practice!
7-How to write troubleshooting instructions
8
7.1-Recap: What are troubleshooting instructions?
7.2-Define your audience
7.3-Define the problem
7.4-Test your knowledge
7.5-Find all possible solutions
7.6-Let's practice!
7.7-Build a solution flow
7.8-Let's practice
8-Technical writing style essentials
2
8.1-Style guidelines for technical writers
8.2-Write with clarity
9-Writing for different audiences
1
9.1-How to write for a non-technical audience
10-Tips for technical writers
3
10.1-How to ace a technical writing test and get hired
10.2-Project management, working in a team, communicating with your manager & more
10.3-The vital role of Subject Matter Experts for technical writers