--- title: "The future of technical documentation is more about psychology than technology" id: "11721" type: "post" slug: "the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology" published_at: "2013-01-07T17:29:27+00:00" modified_at: "2013-01-07T17:29:27+00:00" url: "https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/" markdown_url: "https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology.md" excerpt: "In the quest to offer better forms of user assistance, most experts in the technical communications profession propose technological solutions: using XML, intelligent and adaptive content etc. to present essentially the same type of guidance as has been provided for..." taxonomy_category: - "Technical Author" - "Technical Communication" - "Technical Documentation" - "Technical Writing" - "Training" - "trends" - "user assistance" - "writing" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Technical Author" - "Training" - "trends" - "trends technical communication" - "xml" --- In the quest to offer better forms of user assistance, most experts in the technical communications profession propose technological solutions: using XML, intelligent and adaptive content etc. to present essentially the same type of guidance as has been provided for the past 20 years. We believe there has been a change in the relationship between people and technology, and there needs to be a corresponding change in the relationship between people and the user documentation. In the past, a lot of technology was unfamiliar, idiosyncratic, expensive and complex; users often became anxious when they used a product. As technology has become part of everyone’s daily lives (particularly Web and mobile applications), people’s relationship with a great deal of technology has changed. As a consequence, for some types of products and for some types of documents, the traditional approach for technical writing is no longer appropriate. This means Technical Authors need a better understanding of this relationship – the psychology of users – and understand how they can relate and communicate to users in context. We are not suggesting that the traditional approach to technical writing should go away completely. We’re also not arguing against technology such as XML and DITA – these are vehicles for delivering content. We’ll still be writing user documentation for scientific equipment and financial systems in the traditional way, as these types of products fit the traditional model. However, even the documentation for these types of products can benefit from the inclusion of some psychological techniques. Web sites such as voiceandtone.com indicate some of the changes that we are likely to see in technical documentation, but we disagree with some of the approaches suggested on this site for some types of documents, and we feel this site only scratches the surface. There is evidence from randomised control trials that these new approaches work, although we recommend you carry out your own testing to double check it works for your users. So having come to be belief that Technical Authors need to incorporate some new techniques into their documentation, what should happen next? One approach is to engage Cherryleaf to provide advice or write documents. In addition, you’re able to discover these techniques through our [new advanced technical writing training course](https://www.cherryleaf.com/training/trends-in-technical-communication-workshop-advanced-technical-writing-techniques/) . However, the starting point is to recognize the change in the relationship between users and many products, and to recognize the need to change the approach to technical writing so that it’s appropriate to the situation. The question is, do you agree? ### Share this: - [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/?share=facebook) - [Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/?share=linkedin) - [Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) - [Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/?share=bluesky) - ### *Related* ### 4 Comments What kind of psychology are you talking about? The psychology of first-time uses or advanced users? The psychology of developers or testers? The psychology of end users including the management? The psychology of youngsters and senior citizens? The different types of users, the different contexts in which they interact with the product, and how to communicate with them in the best way. What an odd blog post! “The question is, do you agree?” … but you haven’t given enough to agree or disagree with. Are you wondering whether I agree that users’ relationships with some products have changed over time, or that psychology is relevant to technical writing? I do, but it’s hardly worth a blog post for such generalities. It seems as if I need to take your course or hire you to discover any details of your vaunted “new approaches”. Or are you just soliciting my business? If so, you’ll want to copy edit your posts. 😉 We often end a post asking people for their thoughts. This time we asked if people agree or not, and it seems to have led to more comments. As to the question, it’s do you agree that the future of technical documentation is more about psychology than technology? ### Leave a Reply[Cancel reply](/2013/01/the-future-of-technical-documentation-is-more-about-psychology-than-technology/#respond) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [Learn how your comment data is processed.](https://akismet.com/privacy/) #### Previous post [The over optimistic user](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2012/12/the-over-optimistic-user/) #### Next post [Where do the new trends and ideas in technical communication come from?](https://www.cherryleaf.com/2013/01/where-do-the-new-trends-and-ideas-in-technical-communication-come-from/) #### Browse posts by month Browse posts by month Select Month October 2026 (3) September 2026 (12) August 2026 (8) July 2026 (7) June 2026 (14) May 2026 (8) April 2026 (6) March 2026 (14) February 2026 (9) January 2026 (9) December 2025 (7) November 2025 (9) October 2025 (10) September 2025 (7) August 2025 (6) July 2025 (1) June 2025 (3) May 2025 (2) April 2025 (5) March 2025 (3) February 2025 (3) January 2025 (2) November 2024 (8) October 2024 (3) September 2024 (2) August 2024 (3) July 2024 (4) June 2024 (1) May 2024 (2) April 2024 (4) March 2024 (1) February 2024 (2) January 2024 (1) December 2023 (2) November 2023 (9) October 2023 (8) September 2023 (5) August 2023 (3) July 2023 (1) June 2023 (1) May 2023 (2) April 2023 (3) March 2023 (2) January 2023 (2) December 2022 (4) November 2022 (1) October 2022 (1) September 2022 (1) August 2022 (1) July 2022 (1) June 2022 (1) May 2022 (2) April 2022 (1) March 2022 (1) February 2022 (1) January 2022 (2) December 2021 (1) November 2021 (2) October 2021 (1) August 2021 (1) July 2021 (2) June 2021 (3) May 2021 (5) April 2021 (3) March 2021 (3) February 2021 (1) January 2021 (2) December 2020 (4) November 2020 (4) August 2020 (3) February 2020 (3) January 2020 (1) November 2019 (3) October 2019 (1) September 2019 (1) August 2019 (3) July 2019 (2) June 2019 (3) May 2019 (4) April 2019 (1) November 2018 (2) October 2018 (1) July 2018 (2) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (2) April 2018 (3) March 2018 (4) February 2018 (2) January 2018 (3) December 2017 (2) October 2017 (3) September 2017 (1) August 2017 (3) July 2017 (2) June 2017 (7) May 2017 (4) April 2017 (5) March 2017 (1) February 2017 (7) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (3) November 2016 (4) October 2016 (1) September 2016 (5) July 2016 (1) June 2016 (3) May 2016 (1) April 2016 (2) February 2016 (2) January 2016 (5) December 2015 (1) November 2015 (4) October 2015 (2) August 2015 (1) July 2015 (1) June 2015 (2) May 2015 (3) February 2015 (2) January 2015 (6) December 2014 (1) October 2014 (1) September 2014 (4) June 2014 (4) May 2014 (1) April 2014 (2) March 2014 (3) February 2014 (4) January 2014 (4) November 2013 (2) October 2013 (5) September 2013 (3) July 2013 (3) June 2013 (11) May 2013 (4) April 2013 (6) March 2013 (7) February 2013 (4) January 2013 (4) December 2012 (9) November 2012 (23) October 2012 (14) September 2012 (8) August 2012 (4) July 2012 (12) June 2012 (12) May 2012 (10) April 2012 (8) March 2012 (12) February 2012 (3) January 2012 (6) December 2011 (2) October 2011 (3) August 2011 (1) June 2011 (5) May 2011 (2) April 2011 (1) January 2011 (1) December 2010 (1) November 2010 (3) October 2010 (4) September 2010 (8) August 2010 (5) May 2010 (2) April 2010 (3) March 2010 (3) February 2010 (2) January 2010 (3) December 2009 (2) November 2009 (6) September 2009 (1) July 2009 (6) June 2009 (7) April 2009 (8) March 2009 (3) February 2009 (3) January 2009 (3) December 2008 (1) November 2008 (3) October 2008 (3) September 2008 (4) August 2008 (1) July 2008 (3) June 2008 (5) May 2008 (2) April 2008 (2) March 2008 (3) February 2008 (2) January 2008 (1) November 2007 (3) October 2007 (2) September 2007 (1) July 2007 (3) November 2006 (1) October 2006 (2) September 2006 (3) August 2006 (1) April 2006 (1) March 2006 (3) #### Browse posts by category