Glossary of Terms 📖

TIP

💡 This glossary should help you understand the key concepts and terminology used in the field of technical writing, facilitating smoother communication and collaboration with our team.

• Audience Analysis
  The process of understanding the needs, interests, and level of knowledge of the intended readers to tailor content accordingly.
• Content Management System (CMS)
  A software application used to create, edit, manage, and publish digital content, often used for maintaining documentation and websites.
• Copyediting
  The process of reviewing and correcting written material to improve accuracy, readability, and fitness for its purpose, ensuring it is free of errors.
• Documentation
  Written materials that explain the features, functionality, and use of a product or service. This can include manuals, user guides, FAQs, and help files.
• Information Architecture (IA)
  The practice of organising and structuring content in a way that makes it easy for users to find and understand information.
• Localization
  Adapting content for a specific locale or market, including translation and cultural adjustments to make it relevant to the target audience.
• Metadata
  Data that provides information about other data, such as the author, date of creation, and keywords, used to organise and retrieve content efficiently.
• Plain Language
  Writing that is clear, concise, and easy for the audience to understand, avoiding jargon and complex language.
• Style Guide
  A set of standards for writing and designing content to ensure consistency in language, format, and visual presentation across documents.
• Technical Editing
  The process of reviewing technical content for accuracy, clarity, and consistency, often involving subject matter expertise.
• Template
  A pre-designed document or file that serves as a starting point for creating new documents, ensuring a consistent format and structure.
• Topic-based Authoring
  Creating documentation in modular, reusable units (topics) that can be combined in different ways to meet various user needs.
• User Experience (UX)
  The overall experience of a person using a product or service, particularly in terms of how easy and satisfying it is to use.
• Version Control
  A system that records changes to a document or set of documents over time, allowing multiple people to collaborate and track revisions.
• White Paper
  An authoritative report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter.