Technical Terminology: How to Decode the Jargon

Simplifying Tech Speak - Making Complex Terms Easy to Understand

Knowing your audience will significantly impact how you write your content. Some individuals are highly knowledgeable about technical terminology, while others, despite lacking technical expertise, can still comprehend technical concepts. We'll touch on how to write technical terms to ensure your audience, technical or not, can understand the content.

Now just to clarify, there are different types of technical terms. Some are used when describing how a medical device, or tool, is used on a patient while other terms are used to depict the necessity of a fixtured in the product design process. According to the Merriam-Websters Dictionary, the term "terminology" means: the technical or special terms used in a business, art, science, or special subject, or nomenclature as a field of study. To clarify technical terminology in general, I'm going to provide samples of commonly used terms and abbreviations in the engineering and manufacturing fields. These are in no particular order:

• CAD (Computer-Aided Design): Software used for precision drawing and modeling.

• CNC (Computer Numeric Control): Automation of machine tools that are operated by precisely programmed commands encoded on a storage medium.

• FEA (Finite Element Analysis): Computational method for predicting how objects behave under various forces.

• Just-In-Time (JIT): Inventory management strategy to improve a business's return on investment by reducing in-process inventory and associated carrying costs.

• Kaizen: Japanese term meaning "continuous improvement," focusing on making small, incremental changes to improve efficiency and quality.

• Lean Manufacturing: Systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system.

• PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): Industrial digital computer designed for control of manufacturing processes.

• P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram): Schematic illustration of functional relationships in piping and instrumentation systems.

• SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): Control system architecture for high-level process supervisory management.

• Six Sigma: Set of techniques and tools for process improvement, aiming to improve quality by identifying and removing the causes of defects.

I wouldn't assume that just anyone reading the material with these terms or abbreviations would fully understand the meanings completely, so I would provide a more accessible term for the non-technical audiences. For instance, rather than stating "Refer to the CAD spec for precise measurements of the xxx tool", I would say "Check the drawing, Figure x, for additional information about the xxx tool." A simple rewrite can bring clarity by guiding them to the accurate illustration, "Figure x", which will show them precisely what they need to see.

With the assistance of AI, and I do mean assistance not reliance, you can write for just about anyone. It's important to be as accurate as possible, so be sure to perform due diligence before you commence writing content (research, collaborate, communicate, etc.). Creating documents that communicate complex information clearly and concisely can span to various industries and subjects, involving processes, procedures, and instructions as I've mentioned in past posts. Understanding your audience's level of expertise is critical.

While technical writing is imperative in the tech world, so is technical editing and fact-checking. In my opinion, when editing technical content, it's essential to thoroughly verify all aspects of the document by fact-checking tables, data, formulas, attachments, links, and more. Accuracy in technical writing is equally as important as technical editing to ensure you are providing the best documentation for your audience. Since I've already touched on technical writing in most of my past blogs, I'm going to delve into the world of technical editing in future posts. However, I do want to provide the proper definition of "technical editing" for clarity. According to Indeed.com, technical writing is "the review of technical documents, including user manuals, reports, instructions, and briefs. Fields such as technology, business, engineering, manufacturing, health care, and science produce technical documents for users or professionals. Technical editors work with technical writers to ensure these materials are clear and free of errors." That, in a nutshell, is technical editing. There are other definitions online, but in my opinion, this is the best description thus far.

We will look further into technical editing and discover all that it has to offer for those who are interested in learning more. Thank you for following along. Please reach out should you have any comments, questions, or would like to chat: susans6190@yahoo.com.