KP_CU04_WA02 DKB 3333

BAHAGIAN PENDIDIKAN TEKNIK DAN VOKASIONAL
KEMENTERIAN PENDIDIKAN MALAYSIA
ARAS 5 & 6, BLOK E14, KOMPLEKS E,
PUSAT PENTADBIRAN KERAJAAN PERSEKUTUAN,
62604 PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

KOD DAN NAMA PROGRAM KERTAS PENERANGAN
PROGRAM’S CODE & NAME
TAHAP DAN SEMESTER ( INFORMATION SHEET )
LEVEL AND SEMESTER
KOD DAN TAJUK KURSUS IT-030-4:2013 :
CODE AND COURSE TITLE COMPUTER NETWORK ADMINISTRATION

NO. DAN TAJUK KOMPETENSI 4 (SEMESTER )
NO. AND COMPETENCY TITLE
C04 COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE
NO. KOD KSKV MANAGEMENT
KSKV CODE NO.
NO. KOD NOSS 1. ANALYSE NETWORK MAINTENANCE
NOSS CODE NO. REQUIREMENT

2. DEVELOP COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE
MANAGEMENT PLAN

3. MANAGE COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE
4. PRODUCE COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE

REPORT

Muka : 1 Drp : 8

IT-030-4:2013/C04/P(2/4)

TAJUK: PENYELENGGARAAN MEMBANGUNKAN RANGKAIAN
PELAN PENGURUSAN
KOMPUTER

TUJUAN:

Kertas Penerangan adalah bertujuan untuk membangunkan pelan penyelenggaran rangkain
bagi memudahkan pengurusan dilakukan.

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PENERANGAN / INFORMATION:
2.1 TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE

Types of computer network maintenance

• Preventive maintenance
Preventive Maintenance is a long-term method to ensure the PC is always in good
condition. It is a process that needs to be done on a scheduled basis. There are steps
to be taken in the preventive maintenance process ie PC Clean Disk, Disk
Defragmenter, Temporary File Removal and Windows Update. Clean Disk is
implemented to remove unnecessary files that take up space inside
CPU that causes PC slowly. Disk Defragmenter is the process of reorganizing the files
in the PC and fixing corrupted files. It needs to be implemented to increase the speed
of a PC. Temporary files are files that exist when we access websites on the Internet
or files that exist when not stored on a PC. These files need to be removed / deleted /
deleted to save space on PC memory. The PC last step needs Windows Update to get
the latest patches from Microsoft. This is to protect the PC against external threats.
Before you make windows update, make sure the computer has internet access or
connected to the network.

• Corrective maintenance
Maintenance correction is the work done to replace something that has been
damaged. For example replace the power supply on the computer, clean the fan on
the CPU, replacing the new RAM to increase the capacity. Most of the services
required by the user are maintenance correction.

• Predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance is the work done to determine the timing of such a network.
This maintenance is a prediction that will happen in the near future.

2.2 COMPANY RESOURCES RELATED TO COMPUTER NETWORK
MAINTENANCE
1. Budget - to determine the budget needed in a company

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2. Competent staff - to maintain and produce skilled manpower in the maintenance
3. Tools - Companies need to provide network equipment tools for the installation of
computer networks that need to be maintained.

2.3 BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE ISP
Internet Connections network

ISP
network

Backbone
networks

Bandwidth-limited links

• Customers connect
to an ISP
• ISPs connect to

Backbone

ISP
network

- cost of connections is based on bandwidth
- cost of connection is a major part of network cost
- organisations only obtain as much bandwidth as they can afford
- many organisations in Asia-Pacific only have 64kb/s – 2Mb/s connections
- traffic demand exceeds capacity of link

*Link is saturated
*Users experience poor performance
- we assume congestion is only on the link to the Internet

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- internal links not congested
- a reasonable assumption?
- Congestion is mainly in the incoming direction

What is Bandwidth Management?
• Managing the use of the Internet to meet the organisation’s objectives
• Objectives control cost
– good performance for critical and useful applications
– use non-critical applications when resources are available
– no use of insecure and illegal apps.

Why Bandwidth Management Works
• Several types of Internet traffic
• Some traffic are mission critical – some not
• Some traffic are time-critical – some not
• Some traffic need fixed bandwidth – some not
• In many networks, non-critical traffic uses much of the bandwidth
– many bandwidth-hogs are not only unneeded but undesirable
– e.g. kazoo
• Can be limited during peak times without significant business impact
– limit non-critical use while permitting critical use
• Need to limit non-critical traffic without affecting critical traffic
• BWM attempts to separate the critical traffic from the non-critical
– provide sufficient resources for critical traffic
– carry non-critical traffic on a resource available basis
• Identification of critical traffic is imperfect
– solution is not optimal

Bandwidth Management Methods
• Restrict Internet usage – by user groups – by application
• Time-shift Internet usage – to off-peak hours
• Manage multiple Internet connections
• Manage bandwidth use – at the network layer

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Disallow Internet access
• Many users only need access to the corporate intranet and e-mail
• Not providing Internet access improves security
• If occasional web access is needed, can be provided by a few webconnected

machines

Disallow un-needed applications
• Most people do not need net-2- phone, streaming media, running web servers,

etc.
• Kazaa, Gnutella almost never needed
• Web (http) access is sufficient for almost everybody

Network Layer Bandwidth Management
• Operates in real-time
– processes packets as they arrive
• Uses Quality of Service (QoS) techniques
– Integrated Services (IntServ)
– Differentiated Services (DiffServ)

2.4 COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE TIME
Definition

Time-based maintenance (TBM) is maintenance performed on equipment based on a
calendar schedule. This means that time is the maintenance trigger for this type of
maintenance. Time-based maintenance is planned maintenance, as it must be
scheduled in advance. This means that it can be used with both preventative
maintenance and predictive maintenance strategies.

How it works

Time-based maintenance is performed on a calendar schedule. A maintenance plan
for a piece of equipment is put together that needs to be performed regularly. An
example is the maintenance that is done on an air-conditioner every year before

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summer. With the maintenance plan in place, the maintenance is performed each time
the calendar rolls over the specified number of days.

2.5 COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE ANNOUNCEMENT AND TROUBLE
TICKET

Computer System Maintenance Announcement

Sample :

System Maintenance Announcement

To ensure the highest security and performance levels for our services, we're applying
a hardware and software update on servers located in our Dublin and Sydney
datacenters. To minimize the customer impact, the updates are scheduled at the most
convenient hours for the region and will take up to eight hours to complete.

During the maintenance procedure the Admin Console Access, Partner Portal, FTP,
Dreamweaver extension, Muse, Business Catalyst APIs, Partner registration and Trial
site creation will experience 2 service interruptions of up to 30 minutes each (first one
at the beginning and the second at the end), impacting sites on ALL datacenters.

Additionall, throughout the maintenance procedure, website front-ends for sites
locatedy in the respective Datacenter that have heavy database usage my experience
service interruptions of maximum 5 minutes.

Trouble Ticket

A trouble ticket (sometimes called a trouble report) is a mechanism used in an
organization to track the detection, reporting, and resolution of some type of problem.
Trouble ticketing systems originated in manufacturing as a paper-based reporting
system; now most are Web-based and associated with customer relationship
management (CRM) environments, such as call centers or e-business Web sites, or
with high-level technology environments such as network operations centers (NOCs).

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A number of companies make software for trouble ticketing, such as
NesterSoft's Request Commander. Several other types of software, such as Bluebird
include a trouble ticket component.

2.6 COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
PREPARATION

Network Maintenance and Management
There are seven (7) major elements to the maintenance and management of a
network. They include:

1.WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
Dividing complex projects to simpler and manageable tasks is the process identified
as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
Usually, the project managers use this method for simplifying the project execution. In
WBS, much larger tasks are broken down to manageable chunks of work. These
chunks can be easily supervised and estimated.
WBS is not restricted to a specific field when it comes to application. This
methodology can be used for any type of project management.
Following are a few reasons for creating a WBS in a project:

• Accurate and readable project organization.
• Accurate assignment of responsibilities to the project team.
• Indicates the project milestones and control points.
• Helps to estimate the cost, time and risk.
• Illustrate the project scope, so the stakeholders can have a better

understanding of the same.
Construction of a WBS
Identifying the main deliverables of a project is the starting point for deriving a work
breakdown structure.

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This important step is usually done by the project managers and the subject matter
experts (SMEs) involved in the project. Once this step is completed, the subject
matter experts start breaking down the high-level tasks into smaller chunks of work.

In the process of breaking down the tasks, one can break them down into different
levels of detail. One can detail a high-level task into ten sub-tasks while another can
detail the same high-level task into 20 sub-tasks.

Therefore, there is no hard and fast rule on how you should breakdown a task in
WBS. Rather, the level of breakdown is a matter of the project type and the
management style followed for the project.

In general, there are a few "rules" used for determining the smallest task chunk. In
"two weeks" rule, nothing is broken down smaller than two weeks worth of work.

This means, the smallest task of the WBS is at least two-week long. 8/80 is another
rule used when creating a WBS. This rule implies that no task should be smaller than
8 hours of work and should not be larger than 80 hours of work.

One can use many forms to display their WBS. Some use tree structure to illustrate
the WBS, while others use lists and tables. Outlining is one of the easiest ways of
representing a WBS.

There are many design goals for WBS. Some important goals are as follows:
• Giving visibility to important work efforts.
• Giving visibility to risky work efforts.
• Illustrate the correlation between the activities and deliverables.
• Show clear ownership by task leaders.

WBS Diagram
In a WBS diagram, the project scope is graphically expressed. Usually the diagram
starts with a graphic object or a box at the top, which represents the entire project.
Then, there are sub-components under the box.

These boxes represent the deliverables of the project. Under each deliverable, there
are sub-elements listed. These sub-elements are the activities that should be
performed in order to achieve the deliverables.

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Although most of the WBS diagrams are designed based on the deliveries, some
WBS are created based on the project phases. Usually, information technology
projects are perfectly fit into WBS model.

Therefore, almost all information technology projects make use of WBS.

In addition to the general use of WBS, there is specific objective for deriving a WBS
as well. WBS is the input for Gantt charts, a tool that is used for project management
purpose.

Gantt chart is used for tracking the progression of the tasks derived by WBS.

Following is a sample WBS diagram:

Conclusion
The efficiency of a work breakdown structure can determine the success of a project.
The WBS provides the foundation for all project management work, including,
planning, cost and effort estimation, resource allocation, and scheduling.
Therefore, one should take creating WBS as a critical step in the process of project
management.

2. TIMELINE
A timeline is an actual picture of events that happened in history. Timelines can be
linear or comparative.

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A linear timeline shows a picture of events as they occurred in a certain period of time.
Use a linear timeline for one subject and time frame. A linear timeline can be written
horizontally or vertically.

A comparative timeline shows two or more subject areas which occurred at the same
time; it shows readers the "big picture." A comparative timeline might compare
historical events in two or more countries or compare two or more subjects like Music
and Science.

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Why Use Timelines In eLearning?
You can use timelines in your elearning courses in order to provide a framework within
which content can be presented. Timelines ensure that your content is chunked and
make your courses interactive. Chunking delays mental fatigue and increases
comprehension.

3.MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Preventive maintenance schedule templates can be highly useful in automating
the tasks that need to happen on a periodical basis but however, have been
somewhat ignored due to the infrequency. The preventive maintenance schedule
formats are totally excel-spreadsheet lookalike that helps in listing the preventive
maintenance schedules and guidelines according to the scenario and time
basis. Maintenance Schedule Template.

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4.JOB CHECKLIST

Having a computer maintenance checklist is essential whether you’re a computer
repair technician or just a user that needs to be reminded of essential PC
maintenance duties. If you are a technician, the checklist tells your client that you’re
professional and thorough. Using a PC maintenance checklist as you go through the
list helps ensure your computer is getting the preventative work it needs to stay in top
running shape. The computer maintenance checklist below is meant to be followed in
order, starting with the hardware and working your way into the Windows Operating
system.

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Computer Maintenance Checklist For Hardware

Before you begin, you’ll want to take note of the computer’s surroundings. Is it in an
enclosed area? Is it sitting directly on the floor where it can pickup hair, dust and other
debris? Is it sitting in direct sunlight or in an area that can experience extreme
temperature shifts? If this is a client’s computer, explain the importance of keeping the
computer in a clean, temperature controlled environment.

• Check to make sure the computer, monitor and printer are all plugged into a
surge protector.

• Take a moment to jot down all makes, models and serial numbers of the
computer components so the client has them in case a repair is needed or
there is some other type of emergency.

• Wipe down the monitor, keyboard and mouse with cleaner specifically used for
this task. An example would be these alcohol-free screen wipes.

• Flip keyboard over and shake out debris. Blow out keys and mouse using
canned compressed air.

• Clean external intake grills in the front and in the back of the PC with
compressed air. Be sure to get the power supply grill and exhaust fan.

• Unplug and open the case. Use a computer vacuum or compressed air to
remove dust and debris from internal fans and case.

• Check connections to devices, make sure cables provide unobstructed airflow.
• Clean optical drive using a CD / DVD lens cleaner.

You want to be careful not to cause any problems when performing computer
maintenance on hardware. Moving a PC around, not properly grounding yourself, or
causing damage to a wire or card can all cause problems that did not exist before.

Computer Software Maintenance Checklist

Now that the outside of the case is clean and the PC is running cool, log into Windows
using an account that has administrative access. By performing the following software
maintenance, you can be sure Windows will be secure and optimized for speed.

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• Run Windows Update if the computer is not already configured to obtain these
updates automatically.

• Update virus definitions or install an antivirus if the computer needs one. Our
free recommendation is Microsoft Security Essentials.

• Locate and remove old programs or trial software.
• Update web browser to the current version.
• Clean browser temp files. In IE, open browser and click Tools, then Internet Options.

Under the General tab, click Delete under Browsing History for more options.
• Run Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files and empty Recycle Bin. Start>All

Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Cleanup.
• After Disk Cleanup, run Disk Defragmentor from same location.
• Backup data–pictures, movies, music and email to an external device.
Technicians should always perform this maintenance on new client’s machines upon first visit.
Home users can run this checklist monthly. Having a computer maintenance checklist is an
essential way to make sure you are doing all of the things necessary to keep your computer
secure and performing at peak speeds.

5.MANPOWER

Manpower planning and development known as human resource planning. This
process is an essential cornerstone in the efficient management of personnel in an

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organization. It may be multi-step process, including various issues, such as:

• Deciding goals or objectives
• Auditing of the internal resources
• Formulation of the recruitment plan
• Estimating future organizational structure and manpower requirements
• Developing a human resource plan

6.GANTT CART

A Gantt chart helps you view project activities with associated timescales and
resources.

The first column is the Stage that the particular item falls into in the No Delays
Achiever improvement project guide e.g. Start Out, Define etc

The Task and Target columns are linked, whereby the target is the measure used to
indicate that the task has been delivered. For example, the task may be ‘Feasibility
Study’ and the associated target may be ‘Feasibility study analysed and signed of
by executive board’.

The Resource column maybe people and/or finance that is required to deliver the
task.

Against these tasks the planned start date and finish date of the task is represented by
an arrow. This does not indicate how long the task will take but simply helps to identify

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if the delivery of it is on track. Falling behind schedule can be represented by an
additional red arrow. A task completed ahead of schedule may be represented by
making the arrow green.

The overall aim is that individuals within the project can get a quick visual picture of
how the key tasks in the project are progressing. This chart may be used on its own
for simple projects or for projects that are more complex it may be supplemented with
more detailed project plans e.g. plans developed in Microsoft Excel or Microsoft
Project.

7.MAINTENANCE COST

One universal measurement of maintenance performance, and perhaps the measure
that matters most in the end, is the cost of maintenance. Unfortunately maintenance
costs are often used to compare maintenance performance between companies or
between plants within the same company.

Equally unfortunately, there is no standard for measuring maintenance costs. Each
company, usually each plant within a company and often each department within a
plant develop their own definition of "maintenance costs."

For this reason, maintenance cost comparisons should always be accompanied by a
clear definition of what is included and excluded for each plant included in the
comparison.

If you are in the process of defining maintenance costs, or believe that your definition
needs updating, the following table may be of help.

Type of cost (materials and labor) Recommended cost category
Preventive maintenance Maintenance
Corrective maintenance (repair or Maintenance (unless its a capital
replacement of failed components) replacement)
Maintenance (In some plants this is a
Lubrication (a specific PM task) Production cost)

Contracted preventive and corrective Maintenance
maintenance
"Maintenance" work done by Production Production - but remember to take these
employees. This can included cleaning, costs into account when making

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Type of cost (materials and labor) Recommended cost category

inspections, replacement of "production" comparisons
components (e.g. filter media, etc) and
perhaps some lubrication.

"Non-working" maintenance labor (e.g. Maintenance
maintenance safety meetings, waiting time,
etc)

Maintenance supervision, planning and Maintenance
administration

Probably maintenance, however its a
Non-capital plant improvements. This includes good idea to include an "improvement"
both process and reliability improvements category in Work Order codes to allow

improvement costs to be identified

Capital improvements and replacements Capital (but remember that the definition
of "capital" also varies widely)

Disposal of obsolete and surplus stock and A special expense account, separate from
inventory adjustments (where inventory is other costs and not in the maintenance
working capital) budget

There are other specific activities that may be performed by Maintenance people and
these should be considered and defined, such as snow removal, reading utility meters,
etc.

2.7 COMPUTER NETWORK MAINTENANCE JOB ORDER CONTENT

JOB SPECIFICATION
Computer maintenance technicians oversee daily computer performance, provide
technical support and install new software for computer users. Daily duties may
include fielding inquiries, running diagnostic tests to resolve issues and installing
updates to existing software. Additionally, technicians may be responsible for setting
up new equipment, performing minor repair work and keeping records of service.
Technicians may also create manuals and train others on hardware and software.

JOB CHECKLIST
It is better to sew up a small hole with one or two stitches rather than waiting till your
pants rip! A computer is the most used electronic machine in our lives, and with a lot
of media and content available for download online, it can become slow and

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unresponsive due to data buildup. Like the small hole, it’s best to deal with it now
instead of waiting until it gets worse.

Most computer users are unaware, but every time you switch on your PC, read your e-
mails, create new files, read new documents, download something, etc., it adds to the
clutter and junk. Some operating systems come with a built-in system that helps users
keep their computer working smoothly and spam free. If your computer starts running
slower than usual, there is a serious need for maintenance. Instead of hiring a
computer technician, below is a monthly computer maintenance checklist that’ll help
keep your computer clean inside and out.

Basic Computer Hardware Maintenance Checklist:
• Make sure that your computer, LCD, printer, CPU are plugged into a surge

protector.
• Clean your LCD, mouse, keyboard and other parts with alcohol-free cleaners or

wipes specifically for this purpose.
• Check the physical connections between all devices, see that clear air flow is

maintained and check that no wires are obstructed anywhere.
• Blow out or vacuum the accumulated dust in and around your computer. The

motherboard of your PC and the sides of the expansion cards attract dust and
debris, blow out the dust from that area too (might want to take it outside first,
depending how old it is!)
• Check that the cooling fan (for CPU’s) is working properly, keep it free of dust
and cobwebs. Accumulated dust may obstruct the working of the cooling fan.

Basic Computer Software Maintenance Checklist:
• Firstly, update your computer’s virus definition or install a reliable antivirus

program. Update your antivirus program and run a complete virus scan at least
once a week.
• Delete all the temporary Internet files. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools, select
Internet options. Click the option marked Delete Files. The deletion will take
some time, but it is required to get rid of all those temporary files.
• Clear Internet cache. Every time you surf on internet, your PC stores all the
web pages and images you scroll through. This back up information store on
hard drive space. Download CCleaner for this purpose. Empty your Recycle

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Bin. Make sure to empty it, every time you delete something. This will keep the
hard drive free and clean from unnecessary clutter.
• Do a disk clean up. This will get rid of old compressed files, temporary files and
other junk. To do this, go to the Start Menu →All Programs →Accessories
→System Tools →Disk Cleanup.
• Shortcut icons on the desktop are no doubt handy and easily accessible, but
get rid of the icons that are not in use. This will make your desktop look clean
and neat.
• Delete programs that are rarely used or not used. Go to the Control Panel
→Add or Remove Programs. You will see the programs installed on your PC.
Deleting programs which are rarely used or not used his will increase the
performance of your PC.
• Backup your database to protect and restore (in case of system failure).
• Run the Disk Defragmenter utility to clear disk space unnecessary data on your
hard drive. To do this, click the Start button →Programs →Accessories
→System Tools, and then select Disk Defragmenter option.
• Restart your computer properly to clean it of unwanted clutter.

Using above computer maintenance checklist you can help your PC perform at its
best. Even then you may still have computer problems and should contact an A+
Certfied Computer Technician to fix your PC.

TIMELINE/ SCHEDULE
Computers keep your business running, but your computer is like a car- it needs
regular computer maintenance to perform at its best. From the inside and out, your
computer is a machine that is capable of amazing things, but it can’t do it alone. It
needs your help, or the help of an IT solutions provider, to stay running at full capacity.

Use this checklist to stay up-to-date with the tasks you should do daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, and yearly to keep your computer functioning at its best.

Daily
• Virus/Adware/Spyware Scans
• Delete internet temp files
• Delete Windows temp files

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Weekly
• Windows Update
• Check for Other Software Updates
• Java
• Flash
• Antivirus/Adware Software
• Adobe
• Data backups
• Empty the desktop Recycle Bin
• Delete cookies

Monthly
• Run Disk Cleanup
• Run Disk Defragmenter
• Uninstall unused programs

Quarterly
• Clean the keyboard
• Clean the mouse
• Dust the computer monitor

Yearly
• Dust inside the computer
• Renew antivirus subscriptions

Why Keep Up with Regular Computer Maintenance?

In the same way that your car will break down if you do not change its oil, check its
fluids, and inspect the belts, your computer will suffer from performance issues if you
don’t keep some form of routine maintenance schedule.

• Reduce security risks with properly updated applications.
• There are always new network threats- keep your antivirus updated.
• Free hard disk space from unnecessarily files.
• Improve your computer’s speed.

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• Resolve internet browser problems.

In other words, like any machine, a computer needs a little bit of love to work the way
it needs to.

2.8 TECHNICAL WRITING SKILLS
What is Technical Writing?
Technical writing is sometimes defined as simplifying the complex. Inherent in
such a concise and deceptively simple definition is a whole range of skills and
characteristics that address nearly every field of human endeavor at some
level. A significant subset of the broader field of technical communication,
technical writing involves communicating complex information to those who
need it to accomplish some task or goal.

Skill Sets Are Important For A Technical Writer
Like any profession, becoming a technical writer requires a mastery of a certain
set of skills. This skill set used to involve primarily writing and illustration skills,
as large manuals for print publication were the standard in the profession. The
worlds of communications and technology have evolved dramatically in the
latter part of the 20th century and the early part of this century. How has that
evolution affected the skill set required for a technical writer?
▪ Writing skills – For a technical writer, writing skills can never be

overlooked. The technical writer still needs to write in a clear and concise
manner and to be able to convey information appropriately for a variety of
audiences.

▪ Technical skills – The technical skill set of a technical writer depends
greatly on the subject matter, product or service that requires
documentation. Hardware and software documentation differ in the skills
that the technical writer needs to bring to the table. Additionally,
pharmaceuticals and other manufacturing industries have specific
requirements that translate into knowledge the technical writer must
have. A technical writer asked to document a developer’s guide may

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need to have a pretty good handle on specific programming languages,
while a technical writer tasked with documenting a weapons defense
system might need a high degree of engineering comprehension as well
as a solid knowledge of government documentation standards.

▪ Tools skills – Needless to say, a technical writer needs to know his or
her way around computer systems, since they are used to produce
documentation in a variety of formats. Specific tool knowledge, such as
Adobe FrameMaker, MS Word, MadCap Flare, RoboHelp, and even
PageMaker and Quark really depends on the tools the organization has
come to rely on in order to produce its technical documentation.
However, technical writers are accustomed to learning – it’s really what
they do, and most are capable of learning a new tool quickly and
efficiently.

▪ Interviewing and listening skills – Technical writers need to know how
to ask questions. They also need to know who is the best person to
approach and they need to have a feel for the varying personalities and
preferences of the people – the subject matter experts, or SMEs – in
order to know how best to approach them. Once the technical writer has
found the appropriate SME to approach, strong listening skills will be
required to capture the information necessary and to know which follow-
up questions need to be answered.

▪ Design skills – An appreciation for the visual can be an important part of
the skill set of a technical writer. Even the earliest technical documents
didn’t consist of just the written word. To a growing extent the technical
writer needs an appreciation for graphics and formatting as well as
illustration skills. Depending on the needs of the organization, these skills
may only need to be rudimentary or they may need to be very advanced.

▪ Usability and testing skills – A technical writer may also be asked to
take an active role in usability and testing. Even if not asked to take a
role, the technical writer knows that validation of the documentation is
important – the confirmation that the product works the way it is

NO. KOD / CODE NUM. IT-030-4:2013/C04/P(2/4) Muka: 23 Drpd : 4

documented to work. In some organizations, the technical writer is an
important part of the User Experience team.
These skills are just a small part of what a technical writer brings to the
table. The skill sets of a technical writer vary widely, depending on the
technical writer’s experience and educational background.

SOALAN/QUESTION :
1.

RUJUKAN/REFERENCES :
2. https://www.knowledgeowl.com/home/technical-writer-tools
3. https://www.skillful.com/sites/.../Computer-User-Support-
Specialists-Deep-Dive.pdf
4. https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Preventative_Computer_Maintenance