What does efficient technical writing need: Writing or reading research?

It is suggested that technical writing is in need of not only writing research but also solid reading research which would considerably increase the readability of technical documents. The concept of audience is examined along with readability and the reader-writer interaction. Particular attention is given to relevant activities in the Eindhoven Psycholinguistic Communication Program. It is concluded that readers from another culture (and thus another way of thinking) want not only a translation into their native language but also a cultural revision of these documents. It is hoped that American and European universities, industries, and businesses can cooperate on this matter to better serve customers on both sides of the Atlantic and later to expand to customers in other parts of the world.