---
title: "Does a Technical Writer Need to Understand Web Design?"
date: 2010-07-06
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2010/07/06/does-a-technical-writer-need-to-understand-web-design/
---
# Does a Technical Writer Need to Understand Web Design?
> Technical writing is a field that I've been pursuing and about to complete a certification. My question, how important or valuable would also pursuing a web design certificate for a technical writer?

The certificate in web design? Not necessary. But a working knowledge of HTML and CSS? Yes, critical, because everything is moving (or already moved about 10 years ago) to the web, including documentation. If you create help in a print environment only, chances are you still publish the PDF on a website somewhere.

![You don't need to understand web design/development if you're publishing books to a musty old attic.](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/booksintheattick.jpg)

About the only reason you wouldn't need to know anything about web design or development is if you're creating books in an attic. Don't get my wrong. Attics are pretty cool places, and if you have some musty old books up there, they might be fun to explore. But I doubt they would include software how-to books.

### Why the Lack of Emphasis on Print?

After most users download a product, usually the only printed material they want is a short *Getting Started *guide. It gets them going with the product. As they start using the product and have questions, they search an online help site for answers.

Your online site is where the majority of your documentation should be available. Because of this, you need to understand how to author and design in a web environment.

Many help authoring tools allow you to get by with only a minimal understanding of web concepts. Others require extensive knowledge of CSS to style even the help's printed output. Whatever your situation, you should be familiar with basic web design concepts because your documentation will most likely be on the web.