15 DIFFERENT TYPES

OF TECHNICAL
WRITING
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
1. White Papers
A white paper is a type of technical writing
report or guide that concisely informs its
readers about a complex problem and
provides a solution to it. Originally this
term originated a century ago as a type of
industry report, published by certain
departments of the UK government.
2. Case Studies
Case studies are research methodologies, which
allow in-depth, multi-faceted explorations of
complicated issues in real-life settings. This well-
recognized type of technical writing tool is used to
create positive publicity in some of the most popular
fields of business, law, policy, and even health
research. These written analyses of real-life
situations attempt to draw patterns in a data so that
generalization and trends from a data set could be
recognized.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
3. Technical Proposals
A Technical proposal is one of the most
important types of technical writing. It is a
document containing an introduction to the
product, the crucial explanation of how it
could solve the problem of the recipient of
the user, the company’s execution plan, and
the important technical details of the deal.
4. API Documentation
API short for ”Application Programming
Interface” is a set of rules and
specifications via which a software
program can access the services and
resources supplied by another software
program. API is a type of communication
channel via which two distinct programs
communicate and share resources.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
5. SDK Documentation
SDK stands for Software Development Kit.
It is a set of software development tools
that are used in developing various
applications for devices or certain
operating systems. Some of the most
popular SDK examples are The Windows 7
SDK and the iPhone SDK.
6. Technical Manuals
A technical manual is a ”how-to guide or
manual’. These types of technical writing
are created with a single objective of
making it simple for the end-user to
comprehend the technicality of using a
certain product or service.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
7. Repair Manuals
Repair manuals or service manuals are such
documents that contain the information on how to
perform routine maintenance or even needed repair
of vehicles, computer hardware, technological
gadget, or electrical appliance. This type of
technical writing includes maintenance charts, step-
by-step repair instructions, and overhaul procedures
alongside helpful diagrams, photographs, and
illustrations to be of help to customs at crucial
times.
8. User Guides
Whenever you purchase software, install a computer
peripheral, or buy a technological gadget or an
electronic appliance, it comes with a physical or
digital copy user guide that explains how to use it.
Such types of technical writing usually include
instructions related to assembly, troubleshooting, a
do’s and don’ts list, warranty, and legal disclaimers.
Technical writers of these documents interpret
complex technical data and present it in a very
lucrative and user-friendly form.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
9. Technical Reports
A Technical report, also known by the name, a
scientific report, is one of the types of technical
writing document describing the complete
process, progress, and result of technical or
scientific research. It discusses the current state
of ongoing technical or scientific research. And
towards its end, a technical report also includes
recommendations and conclusions of the
research.
10. Project Plans
A project plan, one of the important types of
technical writing, is also known as a project
management plan. It deals with a series of such
formal documents, defining all the details of a
project from the very start to the end. Such a plan
involves consideration for risk management,
resource management, and communications
while addressing various other subjects like the
scope, cost, and schedule baselines of a plan.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
11. Business Plans
A business plan is an extremely crucial type of
document for an entity either starting its business
operations or seeking funding to establish itself in a
more significant way. It is one of the most
important types of technical writing document for
business partners who must agree on their plans,
government officials who must approve those plans,
and potential investors such as banks or private
individuals looking to fund that particular business.
12. Test Schedules
All the steps, tasks, dates, and
responsibilities involved in software testing
are explained through the help of test
schedules. These schedules are variably
used to plan for and assign resources, such
as the equipment and the engineers
required to successfully run a test.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING
13. Corporate Reports
Among several different kinds of corporate
reports, this is one of the types of technical
writing of a particular corporate entity, that
requires meticulous research and
presentation of facts in such a manner as
could be easily understood by numerous
levels of employees, executives, and
shareholders.
14. Policies and Procedures
Companies all over the world, irrespective of
their size, have some policy and procedure
guidelines to govern their organization.
Companies also possess employee
handbooks or company policy manuals to
help protect themselves against lawsuits from
employees who might claim that they weren’t
aware of certain rules and regularities.
15 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNICAL WRITING

15. RFPs & Proposals

A request for proposal (RFP), also known
as a business document, announces,
describes, and solicits bids from qualified
contractors to complete a project. RFPs are
preferred by most organizations and are
used by many governments. An RFP is
issued by any organization to communicate
a need for services.