‘Technique’ is an organised human action that causes, directly or indirectly, a predefined change (alteration) of some phenomenon. Technique is a far-reaching term that includes both simple actions (such as wood chopping) and complex performance (such as ice-skating technique, bone transplanting technique, or a technique of landing a space-probe on the surface of the Mars). It may refer to a mode of using human assets only, such as a swimming technique. However, the term technique certainly also includes modes of using a very wide range of tools, equipment, and other means. Technique includes actions that are designed by humans but performed by quite remote means (e.g. robots, computers or artificial intelligence systems). These techniques are always planned, intended and controlled by humans at least to some significant extent. The hypernyms for ‘technique’ are ‘manner’, ‘method’ and ‘ability’. In addition to the terms mentioned above, the hyponyms include welding, inteviewing, teaching and many other specific techniques. 

The term ‘technique’ should not be used to denote an activity performed by any other creatures and living forms such as dolphins, ants, bees or amoebae. For such instances it is proposed to use more common nouns such as ‘manner’, ‘ability’, ‘capacity’, etc. 

‘Tool’ is something which, when used in combination with corresponding technique and definitions, significantly increases probability of intended realisation (actualisation, objectivisation). Hypernym for 'tool' is 'means'.