CHAPTER

The Technical Editor

At the conclusion of this chapter, you will be able to Describe the duties of a technical editor; Recount the history of technical editing; Define technical editing; Research technical editing organizations; Distinguish the different levels of edit.

s technology advances, so does the gap between the people creating the technologya group called subject matter experts, or SMEs, who are frequently but not always engineersand the users of that technology, called end users or simply customers or just lay audiences. This gap has brought about the field of technical communication, which is communicating expertise to less informed audience members so that they can understand. Technical communication often deals with and includes technology, so it is important for technical writers and editors to be technology-literate. Any individuals who oppose technical or technological changes may find themselves struggling to find work. Technical communication includes fields such as medicine, engineering, computer science, to list a few. Technical communicators develop oral or written documentation that explains to end users the concepts, products, or programs developed by SMEs. This documentation has many forms, such as manuals, help menus, PowerPoint slides, videos, and web pages. Now you see where technical editors enter the picture: they are editors who work in the field of technical communication. They sometimes write or coauthor technical documentation, but more often they are responsible for editing that documentation. Technical editors perform some or all of the following duties: Copyedit and proofread. Revise documentation text based on the levels of edit. Revise documentation graphics for technical accuracy, appropriateness, and visual readability. Build relationships with SMEs in order to better understand the technology and with the writers in order to produce more effective documentation for the end user.