As a technical writer, you naturally spend a great deal of time behind a computer. You create work instructions, maintenance manuals and installation guides. But before any writing can begin, it first needs to be clear what exactly should be documented and, just as importantly, how that information will ultimately reach the end user. This results in a diverse range of responsibilities that make up the technical writer’s role.

Shortly before our vacation, we experienced a small disaster at home: our house key was stolen. Naturally, this happened in the evening, right outside our front door. A quick Google search nearly gave us another shock. Having locks replaced outside office hours is surprisingly expensive...

After a major renovation of our home, it was finally time for the kitchen. We had ordered an IKEA kitchen and, after everything we had already tackled ourselves, we assumed this project would be straightforward as well. Just follow the instructions and get to work. At least, that's what we thought.

Recently, I observed a training session delivered by a subject matter expert. The training consisted of a combination of explanations and hands-on exercises in a training environment. Everything seemed well prepared, yet things did not go entirely according to plan.

Over the past two months, I’ve been away for a while. Not on vacation or a sabbatical, but recovering from shoulder surgery. No worries, the operation was a success! Both my surgeon and physiotherapist are very pleased with my recovery, and I’m now back in the office.

My name is Isa Veltmaat, and I recently joined Eluxis as an instructional designer. This is my first job after completing my Bachelor's degree in Technical Medicine and Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. It's a somewhat different path from many of my colleagues, who often have a background in educational sciences. Precisely because of that difference, I bring a fresh perspective to knowledge and learning.