Assessing the cost of quality in technical communication

Cost remains a critical factor in organizational decision making about technical communication. Too often quality in technical communication means producing documentation quickly with minimal expense. Although ensuring quality in technical communication incurs cost, the costs incurred from inadequate or poorly written communication surpass the amount spent on quality efforts. This paper provides a framework for exploring costs in relation to quality and technical communication. As technical communicators understand how their work benefits their respective organizations, they an more easily justified their salaries, their need for support, and their existence within an organization.