Technical writing is different from academic writing in its purpose, format, and style. Technical writing is used in the workplace to communicate about technical topics to professionals in a clear, concise, and simple manner using defined structures and formats. It focuses on being easily understood by a variety of readers who are looking for specific information relevant to their roles. Technical writing emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and coherency over depth, logic, and grammar through the use of short sentences, active voice, and visual elements like graphics and tables.