ABSTRACT
If writing must be a precise form of communication, it should be treated like a precision instrument. It should be sharpened, and it should not be used carelessly. Maintaining precision in a technical document is not always easy, particularly when the document is the product of a team—a collaborative effort. In such cases, for writing to be “a precision instrument” all team members must be well informed about the project and must work with as much uniformity as possible. The purpose of any technical document is a major factor in determining how to direct and design that document for success. Format is perhaps the most essential element in document design. It enables the reader to see immediately the structure, hierarchy, and major content sections of a document. Format includes headings, margins, indentation, justification, figure references, figure placement, figure captions, headers, footers, and pagination. Typography is a primary, yet frequently slighted, element in document design.
