Transcript supervisors faster than other engineers.

Introduction to Technical
and Business Writing
What is Technical
Writing?
Taking complicated
subject matter and
transforming it into
easy-to-understand
information for the
reader.
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Why do we need technical
communication?
• Technical communication serves as a link between
the theoretical and the practical world
• There is a need for transforming complex
information into something understandable
• Technical communicators serve as mediators
between engineers and end-users
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How Writing Makes a Difference ?
• Writing ability is often correlated with a
superior manager’s characteristics.
• The quality of communication has a strong
impact on an idea’s reception.
• Poor proposals and reports mean little or no
future with clients.
• Young engineers who write with clarity and
make logical presentations tend to become
supervisors faster than other engineers.
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Writing Cycles
Student
Student
Instructor
Workplace
Top
Management
Engineer
Academics
Supervisor
Manager
Referee
Referee
Researcher
Journal
editor
Publication
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Why are you studying
this Course?
EXPECTATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Expectations (in order of importance)
#1 Team work – member, leader 
#2 Communication skills 
#3 Subject knowledge 
#4 Time management 
Communication
 = Writing
 = Speaking (oral)
 = Computer
 = Documentation
 = Web
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COMMUNICATE – WHY?
 “I want others to appreciate my work”
(supervisor, SRC, prospective examiner, examiner, boss)
 “I want to know what others want”
(looking for job, post-doc, promotion)
 “I want to convince others”
(project funding, job seeking)
 “I want to sell my idea/product”
 “I want to publish a lot of good papers”
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Desired Attributes of Job
Seekers
The two primary attributes young job
applicants need are
•the ability to interact with other people
•basic writing skills.
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What will we study in
Technical Writing?
• Memos and electronic mail (e-mail)—to set
meeting agendas and to ask and answers
questions
• Letters—to sell, complain, hire, fire, ask and
answer questions, and explain the contents of
attachments
• Reports—to report on job-related travel or
incidents, to study options and recommend action,
to report on the progress of ongoing projects,
and to document meeting minutes
• Proposals—to highlight problems, to suggest
solutions, and to recommend action
• Brochures—to sell and inform, using six-to eightpanel (back and front) foldouts
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• Newsletters—to report on corporate
activities to both employees and stakeholders
• Fliers—to sell and inform, using brief, singlesided documents
• Resumes—to help you find a job
• Web sites—to sell and inform, using multi
screened, Internet-based, hypertext-linked
communication
• User manuals—to explain the steps in a
procedure
• Technical descriptions—to explain the parts
of a mechanism, tool, piece of equipment, or
product (3)
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Technical Writing is
done to
•
•
•
•
•
•
Define and order standard processes
Ensure critical processes are standardized
Simplify complexity
Detail operational necessities
Highlight and describe risk
Structure available knowledge in support of
research
• Identify useful content
• Assemble parts into whole
• Coordinate functionalities
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When Should Technical
Writing be Done ?
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• If you want your customers to walk away
from product failures
• If you want to reduce customer calls to
your support desk
• If you want your customers to buy your
product
• If you want each version of your product
to flow smoothly into an established
market
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How can you know when
technical writing is
done well ?
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How does Technical
Writing Effect a
Corporation ?
Value to the Corporation
• Well-written and accurate documentation:
– Enhances the customer product experience,
contributing to overall satisfaction
– Part of the customer support strategy,
reducing support costs
– Speeds up customer acceptance of products
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Cost to the Corporation
Poorly written or inaccurate
documentation:
– Contributes to customer frustration
with the product and the company
– Projects a negative image of the
product
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Importance of
Teamwork in Technical
Writing
“No one person and no one area can solve work
related problems”
Collaboration advantages
• In business and industry, many
technical documents are team
written
• Advantages
•
•
•
•
•
Diversity of opinions
Checks and Balances
Broad based understanding
Empowerment
Team Building
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Strategies for Successful
Collaboration
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop your team
Choose a team leader
Determine your team goal
Identify the problem
Analyze the problem causes
Determine Potential Improvements
Verify the suggested solutions
Complete the team project
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Most of your work in
this course will be
collaborative !
Lets Revise
What we discussed
today?
• Introduction to Technical and Business
Writing
• Objectives of this course
• Course contents
• Purpose of Technical Writing
• Impact of Technical Writing on a
Corporation
• Importance of team work in Technical
Writing
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