The Language of Technical Communication has a dual objective: to define the terms that form the core of technical communication as it is practiced today, while predicting where the field will go in the future. The choice of terms defined in this book followed two overarching principles: include all aspects of the discipline of technical communication, not just technical writing, and select terms that will be relevant into the foreseeable future.
The Language of Technical Communication is a collaborative effort with fifty-two expert contributors, all known for their depth of knowledge. You will probably recognize many of their names, and you will probably want to learn more about the ones who are new to you. Each contributed term has a concise definition, an importance statement, and an essay that describes why technical communicators need to know that term.
You will find well-understood terms, such as content reuse and minimalist design, alongside new terms, such as the Internet of Things and augmented reality. They span the depth and breadth, as well as the past and future, of technical communication.
Ray Gallon
Co-Founder, The Transformation Society
Ray Gallon been a communicator for 40 years, first as a radio journalist, author, and producer, working with some of the top networks in North America (CBC, NPR) and Europe (France Culture, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands International). Ray ended that phase of his life as program manager of WNYC-FM, New York City’s public radio station.
Ray has always been fascinated by the meeting point of communication, culture, and technology – and so for the first half of his career, he focused on the cultural side. The second half of his career has focused more on the technology side. Ray works as a consultant on leadership and strategy for high-tech enterprises around the world, through his company, The Transformation Society, which he co-founded with Dr. Neus Lorenzo.
