TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS AS INFORMATION-SYSTEMS

Information is the stock in trade for all technical communicators, yet the concept of information as it applies to technical communication h as not been well defined. This article presents an understanding of in formation that, it is hoped, will promote the development of a unified , theoretical base for the practice of technical communication. The co ncept of information is examined from the perspectives of mathematics, engineering, biology, and human behavior. Characteristics of informat ion common to all information systems are brought forward to a key und erstanding-that information is inextricably linked with behavior. It f ollows that the first step in designing an information product is to s tate its purpose in terms of a desired behavioral outcome. Measuring b ehavior then becomes the most significant measure of an information pr oduct's quality.