Technical communication is in a state of upheaval. This was also demonstrated by Quanos Connect on June 4 and 5 in Nuremberg, which attracted a record 800 visitors. Focus on solutions Quanos Solutions GmbH and its partners - one of which was tecteam GmbH - presented solutions relating to the editorial system [...].
The job description of a technical writer seems less attractive to many school leavers, the number of students on degree courses is falling - and at the same time, the shortage of skilled workers is becoming increasingly apparent. This is precisely why there is enormous potential in this career! Silent heroes of digitalization Technical editors are the silent heroes of digitalization. They make complex content understandable, write precise instructions and [...]
The use of AI systems is already an objective for the near future in many areas of mechanical and plant engineering. However, a 2020 report by the European Commission found that the current product safety legislation at the time, including in relation to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, had a number of gaps with regard to safety risks in [...]
Some of you have probably heard the term "digital product passport" (DPP for short) recently. But what is behind it and could it open up a new field of activity for technical writers? Background: The Ecodesign Regulation 2024/1781 Based on the new Ecodesign Regulation 2024/1781 from this year, manufacturers will in future be required to [...]
A number of new EU directives and regulations have been published in recent months, which also place requirements on technical documentation. In view of the numerous changes, it is not easy to keep track of everything. In this blog article, I will give you a quick insight into the upcoming developments. Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 The new Product Safety Regulation comes into force on 13.12.2024 [...]
Some even want to turn it into an apprenticeship. This is certainly an exaggeration, but prompt engineering should not be underestimated. If you proceed correctly, GPT-4 is a great help and you can save a lot of time. GPT-4 helped me to create an Excel VB program. This opportunity also showed me what you can do with [...]
Note: This text is an initial, subjective assessment of the new guide to the Machinery Directive, which is currently only available in English. On April 18, 2024, the EU Commission published a new guide to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC as version 2.3. The guide replaces version 2.2. By and large, with the exception of statements on technical documentation, there have been no [...]
It all started with the Product Liability Act, which first stipulated in 1989 that the safe operation of products must be guaranteed in every respect. This was followed in 1993 by the Machinery Directive, which explicitly stipulated this requirement for machinery and plant engineering. After a transitional period of 2 years, the Machinery Directive became a mandatory basis for manufacturers and [...]
I recently took a trip back in time. By chance, I got my hands on a set of instructions that I created around 20 years ago for a Cobi (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ConferenceBike). I still have fond memories of the research and creation of the instructions. At the time, it was the company's first and only product and [...]
Anyone introducing an editorial system is faced with the question of whether the existing documentation should be imported into the new system or whether everything has to be rewritten. Importing sounds tempting because it appears to be less work. However, the following comparison of customer thoughts and expectations shows what rework is necessary and what preparatory work is worthwhile [...]
