I was reading the conference programme for the upcoming tcworld conference 2013 (the German equivalent to the STC Summit), and I was struck by the number of presentations on international standards relating to technical documentation. Here’s some I spotted in their guide:
- IEC 82079-1 Preparation of instructions for use—Structuring, content and presentation
- ISO 26514 Systems and Software Engineering—Requirements for Designers and Developers of User Documentation
- TR TC 010/2011 On the safety of machines and equipment
- ISO 9241 Ergonomics of Human System Interaction
- ISO P223026 Engineering and management of websites for systems, software, and services information
- ISO 26531 Content management for product life-cycle, user and service management documentation
- ISO 14289-1:2012 Document management applications—Electronic document file format enhancement for accessibility
- ISO 17100 Translation Services—Requirements for translation services
You could also add to that list:
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 26513 Systems and software engineering—Requirements for testers and reviewers of user documentation
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515 Systems and software engineering—Developing user documentation in an agile environment
The thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a technical publications team in the UK that follows any of these standards.
My concern with standards is they may not be based on any robust evidence that the methods they describe work better than any other alternative approach.
What do you think about ISO standards for technical communication? Do you follow any of these standards?
Please share your thoughts below.
Ellis Pratt is director at Cherryleaf, a UK technical writing services company. Ranked the most the influential blogger on technical communication in Europe, Ellis is a specialist in the field of creating clear and simple information users will love.