Chapter 5: Procedural Knowledge and Discourse in Technical Communication: Easy as 1, 2, 3?

Abstract

Within technical communication, understanding the complexities of procedural knowledge and discourse is crucial to creating effective user documentation in many forms. In addition to providing insights into procedural knowledge, this chapter explores differences between descriptive technical discourse and procedural technical discourse that helps people gain procedural knowledge. The chapter also explores several implications of these differences for creating effective procedural discourse, including the importance of usability testing of instructions, followed by a discussion addressing several myths about the creation of and importance of procedural discourse. The chapter closes with implications for future research into procedural knowledge and discourse.