Most start-ups, businesses, and high-tech firms do not have an on-site cybersecurity technical writer. When the services of a technical writer are required, company owners and managers sometimes make the mistake of assigning the documentation project to an engineer, technician or marketing relations employee within the organization.
The outcome of such a decision can be very devastating. Nonetheless, some managers are still unable to understand how badly-written business communications can dampen the confidence of their clients, as well as the willingness of their own workers to take the clumsily-constructed and error-riddled writings seriously.
As an ambitious organization, you cannot take the risk of assuming that every customer will understand badly-written technical information, especially if their first language isn’t English. Similarly, businesses will find it difficult to attract investment and support if their professional communications display a disorderly writing style and poor technical organization.
Read on to learn more about the importance of hiring a cybersecurity technical writer here.
Who is a Technical Writer?
A technical writer, among other things, prepares instruction notes, journal articles and other relevant materials for easy communication of sensitive and technical knowledge. A technical writer also produces, collects and disseminates technical information through communication channels of an organization.
Recent research has projected the employment of technical writers to rise by eight percent from 2018 to 2028 — faster than the average for all other occupations. The continued expansion of science and technology especially in the development of web-based product support would drive the market for technological writers for employment.
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Technical Writer vs Content Writer
It’s not uncommon for organizations to mix up these two roles. They often deliberate — if we have a content writer, what is the need for a technical writer? While some writers can straddle both responsibilities seamlessly, others are more suited for specific roles. You can’t assume your in-house staff writers can do this work without sufficient background or expertise in technical writing.
Technical writing and content writing are quite similar, but the method of writing for both forms is different. A technical writer has an in-depth grasp of the technical skills that will help him/her function in diverse domains. On the other hand, a content writer usually has a unique attention-grabbing style of writing that endears the reader to the specific topic they are writing on.
Content writing spans a wide range of topics. A content writer can write on any subject such as culture, management, fashion or technology. On the other hand, technical writing has a narrow focus on technology.
What Are The Duties of a Cybersecurity Technical Writer?
Here are some of the primary responsibilities of a successful cybersecurity technical writer:
- Research product prototypes and communicate with developers and product designers. This makes them an important part of the production stage and product design. Apart from making their job easier when they set out to describe the finished product, their technical knowledge is vital to physical work.
- Determine the needs of users of technical documentation.
- Work with technical staff to make products easier to use by providing clear instructions on their use.
- Edit material prepared by other writers. They work with in-house staff writers to ensure that their contents meet technical standards.
- Select appropriate media, such as manuals or videos, for message or audience.
- Standardize content across platforms and media.
- Systematically gather feedback from product users to update and improve content.
- They also produce paper-based and digital manuals, assembly notes, and FAQ pages to assist technical support staff, customers, and other users within a company or industry.
So Why Hire a Cybersecurity Technical Writer?
Apart from the fact that every staff in the company may likely be overloaded with their own responsibilities and projects, you can neither expect professional results from a non-professional nor can you get quality results at bargain prices. Money spent on hiring a technical writer is money well-spent. Below are the top 5 reasons to hire a cybersecurity technical writer:
- 100 Percent Commitment: A professional technical writer will devote 100 percent of their time to the project. Assigning technical communication projects to other internal employees is unrealistic and will bring disappointing results. Using his technical knowledge of the field and good writing skills, a technical writer has more range, time and resources to handle the role effectively.
- Value Addition: Technical writers provide added value in providing product designers, engineers and software developers with valuable input on usability, user experience, and user interface that can deliver significant dividends in product changes up to final product release.
- Sufficient Training: Technical writers are sufficiently equipped and trained to determine the content strategy (audience, target, delivery methods, etc.), schedule, timeline, and deliver in a timely manner.
- Vast Subject Knowledge and Experience: Technical writers have the knowledge and experience of the numerous resources available for content creation, as well as all the methodologies and distribution methods that can provide the most cost-effective, reliable and comprehensive documentation distribution possible. It is common for project owners to know nothing about this software.
- Versatility: To a broader range and variety of readers, reading rates and comprehension, technical writers are capable of expressing specific ideas, processes, and information with proper and well-organized grammatical terms. Add the skills of project management and negotiation to the mix. A popular misconception of technical writers is that they spend most of their time on a keyboard clicking away. However, they do more. More experienced writers can carry out project management, interviews with small and medium-sized companies, research, progress meetings, time for collaboration, review meetings and so much more.
Closing Thoughts
Assigning the role of a cybersecurity technical writer to an ordinary writer in the company or even an engineer might seem smart and cost-effective. However, in the long run, it may expose your company to various vulnerabilities and liabilities arising from oversights, omissions, and/or inaccuracies in the final report. This could cost you more in terms of redoes and slowed processing time. It could also adversely affect the way clients and customers see the company’s products.
RSI Security’s technical writing services are here to streamline all your internal cybersecurity documentation needs. Unlike other technical writing companies, we provide in-depth domain expertise in every aspect of cybersecurity defense, compliance and certifications. We’ll work closely with your team to determine the best-suited technical writing for your needs and produce clear and accurate documentation when you need it.
Our technical writing and online proofreading services are staffed by a technical writing team that’s accustomed to researching, supporting, and writing documentation to support a wide array of cybersecurity initiatives. Whether it’s a breach response plan, training materials, or operating manuals, RSI Security’s business technical writing services will ensure your organization has the right documentation.
At RSI Security, we understand that communication and coordination are important in cybersecurity, and that’s what our technical writing services are designed to help your organization achieve. Contact us today to get a hold of our professional technical writing services and get your organization on the same page with the best cybersecurity technical writing practices.