Following standards ensures that technical communicators can easily share source files (that is, the computer files that contain content) and information, and present it in various ways. Dr. Annette Reilly edited a special issue of the STC magazine Intercom (Nov. 2008), dedicating it to standards relevant to technical communicators.

Standards for Structured Information

One of the best-known, and most-used, standards for structured information is HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) used on this web site and nearly every other one. Technical communicators use a whole raft of different standards such as DITA and XHTML: read about them here.

Structured Information Standards

Standards for Accessibility

Another crucial group of standards concerns making our technical communication products work for everyone, even if they have a temporary or permanent disability.

Accessibility Standards

International Standards

International standards for user documentation are developed by Working Group 2 (WG 2), Sub-Committee 7 (SC 7), Joint Technical Committee 1 (JTC1) of the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC).

International Standards