Technical Writing Lesson 1 PDF

Technical Writing Lesson 1 Veata Monina C. Santos, LPT, MM Instructor I Outline Define technical communication Identify the main features of technical communication Explain the purposes of technical communication Describe the...

Technical Writing Lesson 1 Veata Monina C. Santos, LPT, MM Instructor I Outline Define technical communication Identify the main features of technical communication Explain the purposes of technical communication Describe the four tasks involved in preparing effective technical documents Taxonomy of Technical Writing Technical Communication Technical communication is the exchange of information that helps people interact with technology and solve complex problems. ○ It helps us interact with technology in our daily lives ○ It helps us solve complex problems Kinds of Technical Communication What is technical communication? Technical Communication Is a Digital and a Human Activity Technical Communication Reaches a Global Audience Technical Communication Is Part of Most Careers Technical Communicators Play Many Roles TechComm Is a Digital and a Human Activity Digital communication – any form of communication (Email, texts, chat sessions, social media and blog posts, document review features – spell check) that requires the use of a digital device. Requires basic professional standards for workplace communication. Critical Thinking and Digital Information Online research is not the same as critical thinking Which information is relevant to this situation? Can I verify the credibility and accuracy of this source? What does this information mean? What action does it suggest? How does this information affect me or my colleagues? With whom should I share it? How might others interpret this information? Global Communication Transportation and Communication Link Social, Political, and Financial Interests Diversity of People, Countries, and Cultures Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture Individualism Versus Collectivism Masculinity Versus Femininity Power Distance Uncertainty Avoidance Long-term Versus Short-term Orientation Technical Communication Is Part of Most Careers Most professionals serve as part-time technical communicators Employers seek portable skills - communication and critical thinking Roles of Technical Communicators Prepare and edit reports for punctuation, grammar, style, and logical organization. May oversee publishing projects, coordinating the efforts of writers, visual artists, graphic designers, content experts, and lawyers to produce a complex manual, report, or proposal. Enter related fields such as technical or scientific publishing, magazine editing, video production (including writing scripts), training, and college teaching Features of Technical Communication reader-centered, accessible and efficient, produced by teams, and delivered in a variety of digital and hard copy formats Reader-centered Focus on the reader, not the writer Knowing your audience Accessible and Efficient Make documents easy to navigate and understand worthwhile content—includes all (and only) the information readers need sensible organization—guides the reader and emphasizes important material readable style—promotes fluid reading and accurate understanding effective visuals—clarify concepts and relationships, and substitute for words whenever possible effective page design—provides heads, lists, type styles, white space, and other aids to navigation supplements (abstract, appendix, glossary, linked pages, and so on)—allow readers to focus on the specific parts of a long document that are relevant to their purpose Purposes of Technical Communication to anticipate and answer questions (inform your readers); to enable people to perform a task or follow a procedure (instruct your readers); or to influence people’s thinking (persuade your readers). Preparing Effective Technical Documents Deliver information readers can use Use persuasive reasoning Weigh the ethical issues Practice good teamwork Considering the Ethical Issues (Case) To ensure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for worker safety, Sarah is assigned to test the air purification system in Millisun’s chemical division. After finding the filters hopelessly clogged, she decides to test the air quality and discovers dangerous levels of benzene (a potent carcinogen). She reports these findings in an email memo to the production manager, with an urgent recommendation that all employees be tested for benzene poisoning. The manager phones and tells Sarah to “have the filters replaced,” but says nothing at all about her recommendation to test for benzene poisoning. Now Sarah has to decide what to do about this lack of response: Assume the test is being handled? Raise the issue again, and risk alienating her boss? Send copies of her original email to someone else who might take action? Ethical and Legal Communication Ethics - The accepted principles of right and wrong that govern behavior within a society Ethical Communication - Communication that includes all the information an audience needs in order to make an informed decision or take an informed stance on an issue, is not deceptive in any way, considers unintended consequences, and does not violate privacy Ethics Ethical Dilemma A situation that involves making a choice when all competing alternatives are ethically valid or the alternatives aren’t completely wrong or completely right Ethical Lapse A clearly unethical choice Code of Ethics A written set of ethical guidelines that companies expect their employees to follow Forms of Unethical Communication Withholding information Distorting information Plagiarizing Ignoring negative consequences Violating privacy Ensuring Legal Communication Promotional communication Contracts Employee communication Intellectual property Financial reporting Defamation Transparency requirements Privacy and data security Understanding Your Audience Who is the main audience for this document? Who else is likely to read it? What is your relationship with the audience? Are multiple types of relationships involved? What information does this audience need? How familiar might the audience be with technical details? Do these readers have varying levels of expertise? What culture or cultures does your audience represent? How might cultural differences shape readers’ expectations and interpretations? How will people interact with the material: in digital formats, on paper, or both? References: Lannon, J. M. & Gurak, L. J., 2022. Technical Communication, 15th Edition, Global Edition, Pearson Education Limited Thill, J. V. & Bovée, C. L. 2024. Excellence in Business Communication 14th Ed. Pearson Education Limited. pp. 57- 68 Quiz