Why you need Microsoft Style of Technical Publication?

In Technical Communication, it is mandatory to adopt a style guide for documentation. It is essential to adhere to those standards as per the style guide. Microsoft Style of Technical Publications [MSTP] remains key style guide and easy-to-adopt standards for technical documentation. It is suitable for all software and hardware documentation as applicable when explaining about functionalities of a product with user interface controls. Microsoft, being Multi National Software Company authorized the standards for Technical Communications with unique styles, grammar, accessibility guidelines, and much more. It serves as a guide for Technical Audiences/Writers/Editors.

Various rules are applicable in technical documentation especially in describing user controls and functionalities of a product or an application. It is based on the fact about knowing the target audiences and functionalities of products.

Microsoft released the third version of Microsoft Style of Technical Publication [MSTP] followed by the fourth version. Comparing both versions, the third version describes the rules, grammar, standards, and styles applicable to technical documentation. While, the fourth version focuses on professional technical communications including styles and standards for web contents, blogs, and wikis.

Technical Professionals can get rid of some of the painfully argued standards and simply refer to this new edition MSTP version 4.0 for developing contents associated with the product functionalities and target audiences. Technical documentation is essential for a software product irrespective of their operations either standalone or cloud-based. All the software products require documentation, which may include User-documentation, API documentation, Specification documentation, Patch Releases, Maintenance Manuals, Troubleshooting Guides, Training/Service Manuals, Quick Start Guides, and much more. All these documents should follow certain standards and styles to make comfort to end-users for understanding simply irrespective of technical knowledge. MSTP portrays simple guidelines, styles, and standards to develop technical documents for end-users to understand better.

As compared with other standards such as Simplified Technical English [STE], MSTP seems very easy in understanding and applying in the Technical Documentation. It better suits the software products and services, web applications, and mobile apps. Even MSTP is applicable for web content writing, accessibility writing, and blogging.