Technical writing and computer programming

It is argued that technical writing and computer programming are based on similar principles, perhaps because both are mechanisms for efficiently organizing and communicating complex information. Both technical writing and programming are multistep processes involving planning, drafting, and revising. Moreover, six key aspects of computer programming (modularity, modifiability, user interface, failsafe presentation, style, and debugging) have analogs among such technical writing principles and practices as report sectioning, audience analysis and adaptation, and editing. These similarities are discussed and a course that builds on these likenesses to teach technical writing to programming students is described