Questions for reducing the complexity of technical language
Questions for reducing the complexity of technical language
- Are you using the right technical terms?
- Do these technical terms align with the same terms used in other documentation from other companies on the same topic?
- Are the terms defined?
- Is there any background reading users should do to ramp up on the topic?
- Do you use terms consistently or do you include synonyms?
- Could some of the language be made more accessible through tooltips?
- Are you using plain language to reduce the jargon and technical complexity as much as possible?
About Tom Johnson
I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.
If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the tech comm, be sure to subscribe to email updates below. You can also learn more about me or contact me. Finally, note that the opinions I express on my blog are my own points of view, not that of my employer.