Technical Writing – Types of Technical Reports

Technical writers early in their careers often find themselves confused as to what constitutes technical writing in the first place. There are many different applications for the new author, and often they may not all be truly “technical”. So for the new professional, here is a quick list of some common documents you may be asked to create and what they are for.

background reports

Unless you’re working for the CIA, this doesn’t usually mean a report on a person and their life and habits. A background report is normally a short study (1-2 pages) on the application of a specific aspect of the technology (for example, the use of photovoltaic cells in the transfer of solar energy). Typically, these reports are generated for a specific (and paying) audience and are unique to your application rather than generic.

Instruction sets

More commonly known as user guides or manuals, these are the staple product of many technical authors and are self-explanatory. They are the “how to do x, y, and z” of a product or service.

feasibility studies

These studies examine whether it is possible and/or advisable to undertake a specific project or task within a specific business environment.

recommendation reports

This report is typically a comparison of 2 or more alternative actions that a company might choose to pursue, with a concrete recommendation of which path is considered best at the time.

Evaluation reports

Here, the technical author will examine the outcome of a particular project and determine the benefits and return on investment. Often called appraisal reports, they are a key part of the project life cycle and can inform future projects and investments.

Investigation report

They are generally scientific in nature and describe the results of a variety of tasks, such as laboratory experiments or market research. The focus of these reports is not only the result but also the methodology under which the results were created.

Functional Specification Documents

This document is normally associated with a new product and in particular with software. You are trying to capture the full functionality of the offering, in as much detail as possible. Functional specifications are often dense and a poor test of a writer’s skill, as they tend to provide wordy descriptions that encapsulate all requirements.

proposals

A proposal is a suggestion for a project and can take up thousands of pages for very complex work. The author’s job is to create a platform on which the proposal can be evaluated and will typically need to conform to industry and organizational guidelines.