Technical Writing For Non-Technical Audience

How many of you agree?

Communicating with an expert is easier than communicating with a layman.

When you write documentation or user manuals for a tech audience, you communicate with experts with specialized knowledge and understand technical jargon and processes.

But how do you do it when you write for readers with limited technical know-how or a non-technical audience?

A good technical writer understands that technical writing for a non-technical audience requires a non-identical line of thought and writing style. It is about communicating the information to the audience in a simplified way so they can process and use the information to their benefit.

In this article, we will walk you through the different aspects of technical writing for a non-technical audience. By the end of this article, you will gain the right technical writing tools and mindset to write for your non-technical audience.

Why Does it Matter?

The tech industry is a world of its own, with experts communicating in their common technical language. But then there are times when some technical information needs to be delivered to a non-technical audience to

• Expand reach and accessibility
• As a support in product understanding
• To avoid miscommunication

From medical equipment instruction manuals to machine user manuals to installation guides, crucial information should not be lost in the world of terminology.

And, as a technical writer, it falls on you to share specialized information with an outsider who is not a part of that world. We get your temptation to overwhelm your non-technical audience with details they don’t need for their purposes.

However, as a good writer, you have to recognize that the terminology you regularly use for a technical audience isn’t going to work for a non-technical audience. You have to bridge the gap between terminology and information.

How Does Technical Writing Differ for a Non-Technical Audience?

First things first. The goals for a non-technical audience might differ from what you are used to. Why do you think people read technical documents? Because they want to accomplish something, right?

You understand what your technical audience wants to accomplish, and give them that. Similarly, when you understand what your non-technical audience wants to accomplish from a particular piece of content, then you can offer them relevant and understandable information.

Secondly, when you write for a product you believe in, you are somewhat fascinated by its power and impact. However, your audience is unaware and might not feel the same way. While you or other tech enthusiasts might be interested in knowing how something works, the user may want to know whether it is beneficial for them or not and how to use it.

See this example of technical writing, in which the author identified the reader’s need without adding the technicalities of how a belt swing works.

Source: thdstatic

The author did not go into any unnecessary details about the belt swing. However, they clearly stated the important part of crimping the hook by mentioning it again. The writer understands that their readers are only interested in setting up the swing and using it, but they also make their readers aware of areas needed to secure the product safely.

When writing for a non-technical audience, you have to be mindful about

1. End user goal
2. Scaling back technical details
3. Writing in line with your reader’s expectations

Source: Google Developers

Things to Consider When Writing for a Non-Technical Audience

Before we understand what to do when writing for a non-technical audience, let’s first look at what not to do.

• Much of why to use and not how to use
• Too much jargon, acronyms, and details
• Heavy words and long sentences

Now, let’s join hands and take the technical writing approach to writing for a non-technical audience.

1. Know Your Audience

You are not writing for your peers, so you must speak their language. Keep the tone conversational and engaging. Direct your reader’s attention to what they need to do.

2. And, It’s Also About the Objective

In addition to who you are writing for, you must also consider why you are writing for them and where you want to direct your audience’s thinking.

3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Processes

The readers just need enough information. Provide enough information to be effective, but do not include anything extra that could confuse the reader or bury your message.

Source: X

4. What’s the Story

Stories engage audiences, especially when they are rooted in everyday experiences. Even questions, as they increase curiosity. However, they employ stories only where they add value.

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5. Be Direct With Instructions

You may get away with one-word instructions for developers – Copy, Delete, Exit. However, for a non-technical audience, add more words – Press the Delete button.

 Source: Document360 Sample projects

6. Use Analogies and Examples

Stick to common analogies and real-world examples. Readers tend to struggle when the experiences shared are far from their own.

7. Test the Content Among Non-Technical Individuals

Take the help of a non-technical colleague to read the piece to see if they picked up the information you wanted to share. Use AI tools for technical writing to optimize your content.

8. Organize Your Document

The quality of the information is important but so is the structure of your document. You don’t want your reader to get confused. They should understand what step they need to take next.

Source: Beko

9. Add Visual Aids Like Infographics

Adding visual cues to your document can simplify technical information for non-technical audiences. However, don’t just insert a visual if the written explanation does the work.

Source: Kogan

10. Avoid Jargon and Overly Complex Terms

Don’t explain every element. For instance, your audience may not care about which language was used or the grid search done to optimize. Focus only on the pieces critical to the message.

Remember, complex work cannot build credibility and understanding. Look for ways to make your information tangible with visuals and relatable experiences. Or, better yet, start with a common problem for which you have a solution for your audience.

Also read: Role of Videos in Modern Technical Writing

Conclusion

As a writer, your end goal is delivering effective information to the readers in a way they can consume it efficiently. It doesn’t matter whether you are writing for a technical audience or in this case, a non-technical audience. What matters is how you simply communicate complex details and information.

However, while you can freely use technical language and jargon when writing for an expert audience, you need to be more mindful when writing for a non-technical audience.

From your choice of words to scaling back unwanted details to simplifying information, your aim must be to convey what needs to be conveyed without overwhelming your readers.

• Prioritize your readers
• Cut back on terminology and jargon
• Make complex concepts easier to understand
• Include relatable examples, visuals, real-world analogies
• Test and optimize your content with the right technical writing tools

Eventually, the key to successful technical writing for a non-technical audience is creating a balance. Giving your readers clear and actionable information.

Clear the noise and focus on what they need to listen to.