Big Data
Technical writing is challenging as it involves transforming complicated technical terms and information into a document that can easily be understood by any audience. It also includes sophisticated or advanced details, and simplifying them is not easy. In overcoming this challenge, technical writers need to keep in mind a few things in terms of ethical behavior and the types of data visualizations they make available to their audiences. Below is a list of ten important ethical considerations they need to make (STC, 1998).
- Quality – the type of data presented should be of high quality and realistic.
- Honesty – the information provided must be accurate and truthful to avoid misleading the public. Authorization to use someone else’s work should also be obtained beforehand.
- Fairness – Research data should be impartial and accurate to facilitate unbiased decision making.
- Legality – professional laws and regulations should be followed.
- Confidentiality – sensitive information should not be disclosed without consent as it could lead to a lawsuit, and the writer discredited.
- Professionalism –code of ethics for the specific professional field or organization involved must be adhered to by the writer so he can work within those principles.
- Responsibility – technical writers, should take responsibility for the information they avail to the public and provide additional clarification if needed.
- Personal integrity – a technical writer must have a moral code to help him decide what is right or wrong in the way he conducts research or presents information.
- Credibility – The sources used should be verified to ascertain their reliability beforehand.
- Simplicity of visual presentations – visual data should be easy to interpret.
Technical writers need to be ethical in the way they present technical information as the public relies on such information to make crucial decisions that could have a meaningful impact (Dombrowski, 2000).
Works Cited
Dombrowski, Paul M. “Ethics and technical communication: The past quarter-century.” Journal of Technical Writing and Communication 30.1 (2000): 3-29.
Society for Technical Communication, Sep. 1998, https://www.stc.org/about-stc/ethical-principles/ Accessed 9th February 2020