Types of Technical Documents¶

Technical writers create many types of documents, each serving different purposes and audiences. This section provides detailed guidance for the most common document types you will encounter.

Instructional Documents¶

Documents that teach users how to do things.

User Manuals¶

Comprehensive guides for product users, covering features and workflows.

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Installation Guides¶

Step-by-step instructions for setting up software or hardware.

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Tutorials¶

Learning-oriented content that builds skills progressively.

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Getting Started Guides¶

Quick paths to first success with a product.

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Reference Documents¶

Documents for looking up specific information.

API Documentation¶

Developer-facing documentation for application programming interfaces.

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Quick Reference Guides¶

Condensed information for experienced users.

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FAQs¶

Frequently asked questions in searchable format.

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Support Documents¶

Documents that help users solve problems.

Troubleshooting Guides¶

Systematic approaches to diagnosing and fixing issues.

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Knowledge Base Articles¶

Self-service support content for common issues.

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Runbooks¶

Operational procedures for system maintenance and incident response.

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Process Documents¶

Documents that define how work should be done.

Standard Operating Procedures¶

Detailed procedures for consistent process execution.

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Policies and Compliance¶

Governance documents that define rules and requirements.

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Communication Documents¶

Documents that inform stakeholders.

Release Notes¶

Documentation of changes in product releases.

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Migration Guides¶

Instructions for moving between versions or systems.

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Deprecation Notices¶

Communication about retiring features or versions.

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Strategic Documents¶

Documents that inform decisions and showcase expertise.

White Papers¶

In-depth analysis of topics to establish thought leadership.

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Case Studies¶

Success stories demonstrating product value.

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Technical Proposals¶

Documents that propose solutions to business problems.

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Architecture Documents¶

Technical descriptions of system design and structure.

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Internal Documents¶

Documents for organizational use.

Internal Documentation¶

Documentation for team members and internal processes.

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Choosing the Right Document Type¶

Different situations call for different document types:

User Need	Recommended Type
Learn to use a product	User Manual, Tutorial
Get started quickly	Getting Started Guide
Look up specific information	API Reference, Quick Reference
Solve a problem	Troubleshooting Guide, FAQ
Understand what changed	Release Notes
Evaluate a solution	White Paper, Case Study
Follow a procedure	SOP, Runbook

Document Type Selection Factors¶

Consider these factors when choosing document types:

Audience - Who will read this? - What do they need to accomplish? - What do they already know?

Purpose - Teaching? Reference? Troubleshooting? Decision support? - One-time or repeated use?

Context - How will users access this? - What format works best? - Are there compliance requirements?

Combining Document Types¶

Products typically need multiple document types:

For a SaaS application: - Getting Started Guide (new users) - User Manual (comprehensive reference) - API Documentation (developers) - Release Notes (ongoing communication) - Knowledge Base (support)

For an enterprise platform: - Installation Guide (setup) - Administrator Guide (management) - User Guide (end users) - API Reference (integration) - SOPs (operations) - Compliance Documentation (auditors)

Match document types to audience needs throughout the product lifecycle.