BSCOM 400 University of Phoenix Wk 1 Technical Communication Discussion

BSCOM/400: Technical Communication
Week 1 Discussion – Technical Practice
Materials
Textbook
Jarrard, L., & Ngo, P. (2021). Technical communication (1st ed.). MyEducator, LLC.
Course Tools
MyEducator
The first technical communicators were likely plucky entrepreneurs, philosophers, inventors,
thinkers, and artists. They must have had ways and means to describe how to use the
technology—whether written or verbal. As humans, we have needed to find effective ways to
communicate what the technology we create does.
Respond to the following prompt in a minimum of 175 words:
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Select a home appliance that you want to learn how to use.
Draft a 1- or 2-sentence statement that describes the human problem this device is
meant to solve.
Practice your technical communication by explaining to your classmates and instructor
how they would use it effectively.
Identify a possible challenge that your audience might have in understanding the
purpose of this device or how to use it.
Propose a solution that would help them overcome that challenge.
Chapter 1: Technical and Business Communications Theories and
Current Best Practices
1.1Introduction
Topic 1 Introduction Transcript
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The Society for Technical Communication describes technical communication as any
form of communication that communicates about technical or specialized topics such
as IT, medical procedures, or engineering processes.1 Technical communication
also incorporates communicating about technology and instructing others on how to
use digital technology or software, such as writing instructions for help files or FAQ
pages.
Technical communication also includes instructions about how to achieve goals or
accomplish tasks. Inside an organization, there is often a lot of overlap between
technical writing and other types of communication, such as marketing. Being an
adept internal technical communicator requires understanding how to plan,
strategize, and create content for all communication processes required within an
organization.
Why Technical Communication Is Essential to Any
Organization
Figure 1.1: Technical communication is essential.
Photo by ThisIsEngineering via Pexels.
Technical communication in a business or organization is specific and essential to
both internal-facing and external-facing communication mediums. Internal
communication involves any process or strategy employed by an organization that
improves business value via communication with employees and stakeholders and
promotes a sense of belonging to that firm.2 External communication involves any
process or strategy employed by an organization that improves business value via
investors, customers, the public, and so forth, and advances the purposes and
mission of that firm.
Technical business communication is useful for completing internal organizational
tasks and processes, and for communicating how to organize and explain those
tasks and processes, as well as products, roles, and expectations within an
organization.
Internal and External Technical Communication within an
Organization
Technical communication in organizations often requires technical writers to become
subject matter experts, creating communication documentation not only for
coworkers, direct reports, and others inside an organization, but also for those
outside of the organization, such as customers, investors, other organizations or
businesses, and the general public.
This internal and external technical communication messaging includes
documentation for research reports, proposals for grants and projects, instruction
manuals for things like engineering products and processes, how-tos and FAQs, and
the often-dreaded but necessary white paper documents that are essential
communication for nearly every middle- to large-sized organization.
Technical communication differs from other types and styles of communication, and
it is often the framework or the scaffolding for all other types of communication within
an organization. Without impactful, efficient, and effective technical communication,
a breakdown or failure in operations and processes is likely to occur, with negative
consequences that could impact various moving parts of an organization.
Introducing the Role of the Technical Communicator within an
Organization
Figure 1.2: A disciplined writer and communicator.
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels.
It is often a difficult and laborious process to undertake the job of an organization’s
technical communicator; these roles require a disciplined writer and communicator
who is conscientious in applying the skills of listening, asking pertinent questions,
empathizing with the audience, writing, proofreading, and editing.
Technical communicators must also understand which medium or channel to use to
most effectively deliver the communication from start to finish. The myth that
technical communication at the highest level is just about “writing manuals” will be
dispelled during this course.
The effective technical communicator might not be given the accolades of a famous
journalist or fictional writer or receive the attention that a viral advertising campaign
writer might get. This is one reason why technical writing in business
communications is an often-overlooked and underrated mode of communication.
It might be more difficult for an organization to see exactly how essential an effective
technical writer should be to their organization. However, technical writing and
communication skills are very necessary for any serious writer to learn. Certainly,
when technical communication within an organization breaks down or fails, that
failure is felt by everyone in the organization.
Technical Communication Is a Growing Field of Expertise
Technical communication jobs are on the rise, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics,3 and technical writing4 in organizations as a career is also often higherpaid labor than other types of commercial writing.5 The reason for this difference is
that technical writing requires exactitude, discipline, and fine attention to detail. It
often involves rigorous research and editing to utilize communication processes and
procedures within an organization on a micro level.
Any decent writer can be cheeky or pithy in creating targeted ads to catch the
attention of customers searching for a product, but not every writer can be an
effective technical communicator without training and practice. In this course, we will
discuss how you can learn to become an effective technical communicator. By
learning skills that are foundational to this field and many other types of written or
oral communication, you will improve your overall skills as a master of
communications and expert writer.
Questions for Reflection
• What types of technical communications do you read or consume on any given day?
• Could you identify how technical communications are utilized in an organization you
belong to?
• How necessary are technical communications in your desired or current career field?
• What types of technical communication have you found most useful for you in everyday
life?
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1.2Technical and Business Communications Theories
and Possible Applications
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Figure 1.3: Technical writer.
Photo by Startup Stock Photos via Pexels.
How might a technical writer most effectively communicate tasks and
procedures or explain products and services in a way that will be easy to digest?
Exploring some basic theories of technical communications will help answer this
question.
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Effective technical writing and communication serves a useful purpose for every
organization at any level. How do we begin? We must begin with a theory and
then see how or if it is feasible to put into practice.
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The following theories as applied to technical communication are not
exhaustive, but for the purposes of this course they are useful and applicable. A
theory is a way of thinking about and understanding technical writing and
communication that would lead to an appropriate or successful outcome.
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Classic Rhetorical Theories in Technical
Communication
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Classic theories in technical communication suggest this vocation is at the
intersection of humanism and utilitarianism, or a humanities-oriented versus
utility-oriented writing and communication binary.
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To illustrate, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), founded in the
mid-19th century, has a long history of churning out some of the most talented
engineers and mathematicians in the world; in fact, there are 40 Nobel Prize
winners amongst its graduates.1 MIT’s graduates in technology and engineering
have gone on to found or co-found companies that produce a combined revenue
of 2 trillion dollars globally—producing the equivalent of the 11th largest
economy in the world.2 MIT was also effective in instructing its students in how
to effectively communicate about technology and engineering, and popular
theories in technical communication sprung from universities like MIT and
Oxford.3
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Figure 1.4: MIT.
Photo from Mys 721tx, August 30, 2019, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
In 1899, when the university was in its infancy, one of MIT’s instructors, named
Robert Grosvenor Valentine, decided his first-year engineering students needed
to learn how to write in a way that allowed readers to digest their studies and
findings. This style of technical writing Valentine taught was considered
utilitarian and was “writerly-focused”—using a linear process in explaining
engineering processes and procedures.4
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A generation after Valentine taught at MIT, Frank Aydellotte, also a professor at
MIT and AT&T’s first writing consultant (1917–1918), focused on the “readerly”
(literary) style, or humanistic style of communicating technical subjects. 5
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Aydellotte’s contributions to technical writing theories, and those of his
contemporaries in the 20th century, made popular this humanistic approach to
technical writing. Subjects like rhetorical theory in technical writing were
eventually absorbed by the humanities departments of most universities, while
the writerly, or utilitarian, focus taught by Valentine lost favor. 6
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With the advent of the internet and the resultant eruption of new technologies,
this 20th-century readerly-focused style of technical communication is swiftly
evolving into something more fit for the 21st century and beyond. Technical
communication is swinging back toward a more writerly focus, headed straight
toward designerly theories and hypertext theories in technical communication—
a “middle of the road” axis between the two.
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Writerly Theory in Technical Communication
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Writerly theory at its very basic level describes technical processes and
procedures in a linear fashion, and is focused on the engineer’s or scientist’s
experience of explaining the process or procedure, rather than being focused on
the reader as an audience.
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Readerly Theory in Technical Communication
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Readerly theory is focused on the narration of the technical processes and
procedures. It gives readers more context, may use hyperbole or allegory to
illustrate points, may deviate from a linear process, and is reader- or audiencefocused in its intent.
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Designerly Theory in Technical Communication
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Figure 1.5: Design-centered concepts.
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Photo by energepic.com via Pexels.
Designerly theory is useful when communicating large design-centered
concepts, like architecture or engineering, and distilling those concepts into
smaller fragments. Scientists and mathematicians often work in the direction
opposite to architects, starting from a theoretical framework and working
outward or upward to explore new concepts. This perspective is called “designer
discipline.”7
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Designers or engineers, on the other hand, often take a large concept and distill
it downward, taking a perspective called “maker’s knowledge.” Designerly theory
is bidirectional in the understanding that theory and practice must inform one
another. This type of technical communication is based around a designer’s or
engineer’s experiential knowledge and the relationship to the theories on which
that knowledge is framed.8
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Hypertext Theory in Technical Communication
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Hypertext theory allows the reader to navigate technical communication in a
nonlinear way—where readers are able to consume different facets of technical
processes or procedures using links, footnotes, references, charts, graphs, and
so on.
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The World Wide Web enables readers to experience technical communication in
entirely new ways—using hyperlinks, search histories, data, and insights with
the intent of giving the reader many different reference points to easily navigate
the text or information in digestible ways.
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1.3Who Is Getting Technical Communication Right?
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Communications Technology Transcript
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Organizations and personalities that understand the essential role technical
communicators play can be an inspirational voice advocating for the growing
field of technical communication. Technical writers are especially integral to
organizations that focus on information technology, software engineering,
science, and mathematics (STEAM fields), and even product design for things
like outdoor equipment.
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Technical communicators often have positions within an organization where
they must collaborate with content marketing teams and PR firms, and in
smaller organizations these roles may overlap a great deal. Knowing best
practices as a technical communicator and understanding the essential part you
play within an organization can help you better focus on the writing and
communication styles of each role you fill.
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Technical communicators represent the interface between people (or the
audience), information, and technology. A similar concept, according to Carla
Johnson, a widely known author and expert communicator who began her
career as a technical writer, suggests technical communicators are the “linchpin”
of any organization.1
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Stephen Hawking: An Astrophysicist and
Formidable Technical Communicator
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Figure 1.6: Stephen Hawking.
Photo from elhombredenegro, March 2, 2012, Flickr, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Nobel Prize winner and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking wrote in a readerly
style, communicating science, physics, and philosophy in his book A Brief
History of Time. Hawking went on to publish and receive wide acclaim for his
work, even after his detractors protested that he would not be able to appeal to
a public audience. His critics were very wrong. At the time of this writing, A Brief
History of Time has sold over 10 million copies.2
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That wasn’t the first time Stephen Hawking overcame science and technical
communication quandaries. As a 21-year-old, Hawking was diagnosed with a
degenerative motor neuron disease that eventually caused paralysis and left
him unable to speak.
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One of the greatest scientific minds had to overcome his inability to
communicate some of the most complicated theories in astrophysics,
cosmology, and gravitation—and used teams of technical communicators to do
so. Unable to speak, he hired a team of UI (user interface) designers and
technical writers to design a software program that helped him communicate his
findings and complex ideas, allowing him to share his philosophies and brilliant
mind with the world.3
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“The fundamental purpose of scientific discourse is not the mere presentation of
information and thought but rather its actual communication. It does not matter how
pleased an author might be to have converted all the right data into sentences and
paragraphs; it matters only whether a large majority of the reading audience accurately
perceives what the author had in mind.”4
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—George Gopen and Judith Swan
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“The Science of Scientific Writing”
Elon Musk and Tesla: Taking Technical
Communication into 2020 and Beyond
As a scientist and engineer, Elon Musk was awarded the prestigious Stephen
Hawking Medal for Science Communication in 2019, even though detractors
have argued he was never actually good at communicating science.
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Figure 1.7: Elon Musk.
Photo from Duncan.Hull, July 13, 2018, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, is an entrepreneur, visionary, and engineer. Musk
utilizes an unconventional communication style within his organization and as a
public figure, which, regardless of what critics might say, has ironically worked to
his advantage.
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At the time of this writing, as an organization, Tesla has achieved a great deal
as a leading manufacturer of electric automotive vehicles.5 As a brand, Tesla
paradoxically underutilizes conventional advertising. The organization instead
relies on customer satisfaction reviews, its website, Google Ads, and social
media to disperse information.
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As a car manufacturing firm, however, Tesla relies on its technical writers to
communicate a massive body of information, to act as subject matter experts in
science, engineering, and design, and to utilize a number of strategies to
complete different processes and procedures throughout the organization. Tesla
is one example of an organization that depends on its technical communicators
to streamline the organization’s communication processes. Without effective
technical communication, tech and engineering firms like Tesla could never
hope to become successful in their mission.
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Neil Patel: Entrepreneur, Search Engine
Optimization Expert, and Technical
Communicator
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Figure 1.8: Neil Patel.
Photo from SarahLeung1, January 30, 2012, Flickr, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Although primarily known for his marketing skills, public figure, entrepreneur,
author, and technical communication expert Neil Patel has been influencing the
field for over a decade. He educates writers and communicators of all stripes
about how to be successful at using digital technology and software to better
communicate an organization’s overall message. Technical writers need to
understand how to interface with an organization’s computer and data scientists,
analyze the data, and pivot their message accordingly.
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The movements in technical communication will continue to change and evolve
as the World Wide Web grows more vast and technological innovations such as
artificial intelligence (AI) impact the field. Effective technical communicators,
especially those with subject matter expertise, will likely grow in synchrony with
AI and other innovations during this expansion.
1.4Effective versus Ineffective Business Technical
Communication
Discovering what effective technical communication is (or is not) shows how much it impacts
our lives—even on a global scale.
When Technical Communication Has Gone Wrong
The three following examples of technical communication blunders show how
ineffective systems, tools, and processes can be not only costly, but deadly. In highstakes situations, effective technical communication is of utmost importance.
The Challenger Disaster
Effective and accurate technical communication is critical to projects at NASA.
The Challenger disaster that occured in 1986 and killed the astronauts aboard—
including Christa McAuliffe, the woman who would have been the first civilian in
space—is a chilling example of a failed technical communications system.
Figure 1.9: Challenger.
Photo from Unknown Author, April 4, 1983, defenseimagery.mil, CC0 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
According to the report, known as the Rogers Commission Report, that investigated
the disaster, major failures in decision-making processes likely occurred because of
misinformation and miscommunication. The scientific information calculated and
relayed by NASA engineers was miscommunicated to NASA managers, who then
believed the Challenger was ready to launch when it was not.1
An excerpt from the Rogers Commission Report indicates that failures in
communication were central to the events of the Challenger disaster.
“Testimony reveals failures in communication [emphasis added] that resulted in a
decision to launch 51-L based on incomplete and sometimes misleading information,
a conflict between engineering data and management judgments, and a NASA
management structure that permitted internal flight safety problems to bypass key
Shuttle managers.”2
Pandemic Tracing Misstep
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) attempted to test and trace positive COVID19 tests, but technical communication systems failed when software was used that
was incompatible with the amount of data that needed storing. Over 16,000 positive
cases of COVID-19 went unreported when those who were sharing and inputting the
data did not realize that the Microsoft Excel program they were using was not
accepting any more data.3
Not only does communication need to be accurate, the software communicating the
technical information must be appropriate—the right software or channel, the right
platform or medium, and the correct audience are all critical components to getting
the messaging right.
Deadly Boeing Flights
Figure 1.10: Boeing 737.
Photo from Peter Haas, August 23, 2013, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Another example where ineffective communication could be considered not only
unethical but deadly reflects the incompetence and negligence of engineers and
executives at aerospace giant, Boeing. The failures in communication at Boeing in
the design and release of a relatively new airliner, the 737 Max 8, are harrowing.
Official reports detailed crashes involving two 737 Max 8 airliners, one leaving from
Indonesia and another from Ethiopia, killing 346 people in total. Engineers and
communicators within the organization should have implemented proper training and
done their due diligence to ensure instructions and manuals for piloting the airliners
were competently and thoroughly communicated.4
When Technical Communication Is Done Right
Effective technical communication, like all good communication, requires
having healthy, mature, nuanced conversations.5 This process begins with
asking the right probing questions, researching for evidence, challenging the
evidence or lack thereof, creating effective documentation, and presenting the
information using the correct medium, platform, or channel.
Effective technical communication requires asking the right probing
questions. Asking the right questions is critical to being an effective technical
communicator, but how do you know what kinds of questions to ask in the first
place? One answer might be to ask the kinds of questions that will optimize your
learning goals.6 For example, one industry that is growing in the 2020s and
potentially far into the future, is the advancements of technology in APIs (application
programming interfaces).
API software performs tasks, streamlines complex web development processes,
offers additional services to existing software, or limits software applications from
accessing personal data. Technical communicators who have industry knowledge in
APIs (and know how to use them) will have an advantage over those technical
writers who do not.7
APIs act as interfaces between technology software and the end-user. APIs allow
different software applications and services to work together in various ways; they
usually communicate with each other via computers or communications
technologies. APIs are used in many scenarios that a technical communicator might
find useful in their career. Software that interfaces between coworkers in an
organization, for example, could keep employees updated about certain projects or
goals.
Questions for Reflection
• How would you go about finding out more about APIs? What sorts of questions might
you ask?
• How would you, as a technical communicator, learn more about this field as if your goal
were to become a subject matter expert?
• If you wanted to teach an audience what an API was and its practical applications, could
you anticipate what kinds of questions they would ask and then be able to answer
them?
Effective technical communication requires researching for evidence and
challenging the evidence. The process of researching the topic is critical to
understanding technical processes and applications. For technical writing purposes,
having a plan for research methods is a practical idea—and learning some practical
methods will serve you well.
Consider the following scenario:
Imagine you inherited a property from a long-lost great aunt, and along with the large
home and lawn, it came complete with a riding lawn mower that did not have any
instructions for its use. How would you figure out how to use it safely?
Figure 1.11: Riding lawn mower.
Photo by Clayton Cardinalli via Unsplash.
You would like to mow the lawn safely and effectively. If you mow only part of the
lawn, or the engine on the lawn mower works but it does not mow the lawn because
the blades do not rotate, you did not meet your objectives.
What are the measurements of the riding mower? What is the brand? What other
identifying information does the mower have that you could use to research how to
use it? Would you look on the internet and find a YouTube video, or call the manager
at your local hardware store? Researching in a methodical way may help you meet
your objectives.
Effective research methodology usually incorporates four main elements: 8
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Measurement Objectives: Having clear objectives will help you focus on
why you are researching and what outcomes you hope to have.
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Data Collection: Determine which data should be collected and how you
intend on collecting it, and what the most reliable source of information will
be.
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Recommended Survey: Conduct a survey or look for data that support a
hypothesis. Ensure that surveys or measurement tools are reliable and
valid.
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Reporting Plan: Consider how you will present your information. Will you
offer a PowerPoint, or create a manual of instructions? What deadlines or
performance indicators will be met to prove you’ve reached your
objectives?
Question for Reflection
What methods do you usually undertake to understand a technical topic better?
Effective technical writing requires effective documentation. In one study, a
researcher queried a group of technical communicators to understand what types of
information their audiences found most useful. When trying to help their audiences
understand complicated processes they were communicating, two engineers in the
study expressed that since they often “learned by doing,” they would “show” how a
product worked during a live demonstration.9
Through this process, they learned some of their audience still wanted the live
demonstration recorded so they could digest it later, or in a way they preferred to
learn. These two engineers, one being an industry expert in 3-D printers, expressed
how difficult it was to communicate the written technical process to their audience.
These engineers came to understand just how valuable a scientific technical writer
would be to the process of communicating their ideas and processes. Some learners
prefer written documentation to a live demonstration, and so the engineers
discovered how useful writing down the how-to process was for their audience.
Some of this technical communication documentation could be in the form of how-to
videos, podcasts, infographics, and written documentation.10
Figure 1.12: Presenting information using the appropriate outlet.
Photo by 祝 鹤槐 via Pexels.
Effective technical communication requires presenting the information using
the appropriate outlet to reach the correct audience. Research shows there is
usually a wide gap between how technical communication students write papers
tailored to their instructors as their audience and how they are expected to
communicate technical material as employees. The most pressing issue for new
students entering the communications workforce is learning how to write to
investors, other businesses, customers, and so forth, as the audience.
In this technical communication course, we will guide you on how to write your
documentation as if you were speaking to an actual audience in real-world
scenarios. But how do you tailor your tone and voice to an unknown audience? In
the digital era, you must be data-driven to determine who your audience is.
Being data driven as a technical writer means you will ally yourself with computer
scientists in an organization—or be able to interpret the data yourself—and impact
organizational culture with a focus on interpreting data.
1.5Left Brain, Right Brain: Fact or Fiction?
Figure 1.13: Left and right brain.
Alberto Andrei Rosu © 123RF.com
Many writers see themselves as creative thinkers. If you believe yourself to be first
and foremost a creative writer, you might feel like technical writing is “too dry” for
you, or not creative enough.1 While for some that might be true, the practicality of
honing your skills as a technical writer only strengthens your ability to be an effective
communicator overall.
To illustrate, Pablo Picasso, a famous 20th-century artist, was known for a
movement in visual art called Cubism; but many do not realize Picasso first
mastered classical techniques in the visual arts known as Realism, or neoclassical
art forms.
In fact, there is some evidence that suggests Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, the
great theoretical physicist, had more in common in their learning styles than most
realize—having had similar experiences in formal education.2 Genius often requires
mastery of both “right” and “left” styles of thinking and creating.
If you think you might be less adept at learning technical writing because you are
“right brained,” you are not alone. In one study, 68 percent of the general public said
they believe there are left and right hemisphere brain differences and learning styles,
but this is actually a myth.3 Humans have learning preferences, but there is no
difference in brain activity based on these personality traits. And rather than learning
with primarily the left or right side of the brain, humans generally are all “whole-brain”
learners.4
Humans are Whole-Brain Learners
Figure 1.14: Whole-brain learners.
Photo by Robina Weermeijer via Unsplash.
Effective technical writing requires whole-brain engagement. While humans may
have strengths in or preferences for right- or left-brain cognition, the brain is a
plastic, resilient organ.5 Skills that may not necessarily be your natural preference or
strength can be taught.
This is good news for those writers who want to pursue a technical writing career, as
this career path is often seen as a more logical or “left-brained.” But since humans
are whole-brain learners, anyone who desires to become a successful technical
writer can become one by adopting the necessary skills and techniques. Creating
techniques and generating strategies that help you accomplish goals as a technical
communicator is actually a creative, intuitive, and logical process.
Questions for Reflection
• How would you want to grow as a technical writer, and why is that growth important?
• Where might you need a little more encouragement or skill advancement as a technical
writer?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer in general?
• Do you feel anxiety when given a writing assignment that is more difficult than usual?
Techniques for Engaging Whole-Brain Learning,
Writing, and Communicating
Figure 1.15: Techniques for whole-brain learning.
Photo by Tatiana Syrikova via Pexels.
Now that you know you are a “whole-brain” learner, writer, and communicator,
hopefully you are encouraged to learn new styles and techniques. As you improve
as a writer, you will find opportunities to grow in preparation for a technical
communications career.
Communicate as if you were engaging your whole brain as a creative, strategic, and
logical technical writer. Begin by committing to the idea that technical writing is a
process. While completing technical writing assignments, ensure that you use a
strategy similar to the following: Plan, Choose Words Wisely, Revise.
Plan: Begin with an outline for assignments and give yourself smaller deadlines so
you have time to revise and edit. Discover what the goals for the assignment are,
such as word count, page numbers, and other requirements, and keep track of your
progress along the way.
You may have heard the old adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” That might seem a
bit dramatic, but technical writing does not work like free-form poetry writing.
Since technical writing is often formulaic, use the inverted pyramid formula while you
are planning to achieve concise results. As a general guideline, include the most
pertinent details at the top of the document, and with each additional paragraph, give
information and details that are relevant but less vital for the reader to understand.
The less vital information will give more detail to your main points as your
paragraphs and sentences progress.
Choose Words Wisely: Use active voice and simple, clear language free of jargon.
Choose words for brevity. Use adverbs less frequently wherever possible. Watch for
common mistakes like stacking prepositional phrases, using passive voice, or
hanging a modifying clause at the end of a sentence (also called a dangling
modifier). Efficient syntax and usage will make your communication more clear.
Figure 1.16: Choose words wisely.
Photo by Lum3n via Pexels.
Examples of Poor Word or Style Choice
Stacking Modifiers
Poor: The radiation particle buildup report will be ready today.
Better: The report about the buildup of radiation particles will be ready today.
Using Passive Voice
Poor: The entrance exam was failed by over one-third of the applicants to the school.
Better: Over one-third of the applicants to the school failed the entrance exam.
Dangling a Modifier
Poor: Running down the hill, the hat flew off my head.
Better: As I ran down the hill, the hat flew off my head.
Better: Running down the hill, I felt the hat fly off my head.
Revise: Edit, edit, and edit again. Have your peers, an instructor, or a tutor give you
honest feedback about what your writing weaknesses might be. You can also use a
software program such as the Hemingway App to give you writing pointers.
Pro Tip for Technical Writing on Difficult Subjects
Before beginning a difficult writing assignment that stretches your mental abilities, try
freewriting about any emotional stress you may be feeling. In one study, researchers found it
helpful for those beginning to engage in a difficult cognitive task to write about past or current
negative experiences where they felt mentally stuck. When the test subjects wrote about times
they felt stress before engaging in a mental task, it reduced their stress levels. This exercise
also gave them a boost in their mood—and they could then continue to engage in the task.
1.6Highlights and Main Takeaways
What Is Technical Communication? Why Is It Essential
to Most Every Industry?
Figure 1.17: Technical communication.
Photo by ThisIsEngineering via Pexels.
Technical communication is any form of communication that relays information about
technical or specialized topics, especially those in the STEM fields (science,
technology, engineering, mathematics). Technical communication also
encompasses the utilization of software or technology to disseminate any
communication.
Four Main Rhetorical Theories in Technical
Communication
Writerly theory: Describes technical processes and procedures in a linear fashion,
with the tone being focused on the expert’s top-down approach.
Readerly theory: Focuses on the narration of the technical processes and
procedures. It gives readers more context, may use allegory, and may not follow a
linear presentation of the ideas or concepts.
Designerly theory: Explains the perspective called “maker’s knowledge” that is
bidirectional—based around a designer’s or engineer’s experiential knowledge, and
the relationship to the theories on which that knowledge is framed.
Hypertext theory: Approaches the readers in a topic-based way, allowing them to
consume different facets of technical processes or procedures using links, footnotes,
references, charts, graphs, and so on.
Effective Research Methodology Usually Incorporates
Four Main Elements
Measurement Objectives: Have clear objectives to help you focus on why you are
researching and what outcomes you hope to have.
Figure 1.18: Data.
Photo by Lukas via Pexels.
Data Collection: Determine which data should be collected, how you intend on
collecting it, and what the most reliable source of information will be.
Recommended Survey: Conduct a survey or look for data that support a
hypothesis. Ensure that surveys or measurement tools are reliable and valid.
Reporting a Plan: Consider how you will present your information and to which
audience. Will you offer a PowerPoint, or create a manual of instructions?
Chapter 2: The Effective Internal Business Communicator
2.1Introduction
Topic 2 Introduction Transcript
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Technical communication is an integral part of any organization. In this topic, you will
learn some best technical communication practices and strategies and why they
matter.
In this digital age, the ways we work and interact with one another are rapidly changing.
Technical communicators must adapt to the internet and big data to secure careers in
technical communications in the entire industry. In this topic, we will discuss some of the
best practices, along with communication theories and strategies. It’s all about how to stay
relevant and adapt to changes, preparing you for a career in the field. We’ll explore
technical communication processes and procedures, plus how to lead an organization to a
digital maturity. How to lead an organization to a digital maturity. It’s important that you
know how to navigate situations that call for soft communication skills and avoid classic
mistakes. Our goal is to better understand how to implement hard technical communication
skills that are critical to an organization’s success.
2.2Adding Value to an Organization as a Technical
Communications Expert
Technical Communication and the Coronavirus Pandemic
Figure 2.1: The pandemic drastically changed the way we worked.
© Вадим Пастух/Adobe Stock
The way we work was forever changed by a pandemic—as a result, experts in
technical communication will be a crucial part of an increasingly global community.
Emerging research shows how the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 continues to impact
the way we experience telecommunication globally and as part of any small- to
medium-sized organization.1 Naturally, this has impacted and will continue to impact
technical communications and how we implement best practices now and into the
future. At the time of this writing, all the implications of this disruption continue to
unfold.
The pandemic caused massive disruptions to businesses and economies, resulting in
personal and community crises around the world. Some say that the pandemic
exposed some outmoded paradigms and philosophies that likely needed shifting. One
study undertaken by Slack, a platform application primarily used for managing internal
business communications, showed how different industries were impacted by the
quarantine mandates.2
Digital Transformation
The pandemic of 2020 necessitated the digital transformation of many industries.
COVID-19 quarantine mandates required the majority of office workers who were
“non-essential” to work from home, if they were lucky enough to keep their jobs. 3 One
study showed that most of these employees who were surveyed did not want to return
to regular office work once quarantines were lifted. Many forward-thinking industries
that have the ability to accommodate their employees’ desires to work remotely have
found or are finding ways to do so.
The quarantine mandates impacted work and organizational ecosystems and
became an industry disruptor across the globe. Subsequently, the need to adopt new
ways of working hastened the adoption of widespread digital transformation policies
and strategies.
Businesses that adapted to a hybridized workforce continued to thrive in a struggling
post-pandemic economy. Those that hybridize their workforce from an in-office, nineto-five work setting to more remote work after the pandemic and into the 2020s will
likely be more agile, motivating their employees to engage more actively while
facilitating teamwork across all disciplines and locations.
These types of organizations will have a competitive advantage in the 2020s and
beyond. This is good news for technical writers and technical communicators of all
stripes. It will also mean that organizations who want to thrive must use technology
and make technical communication a top priority.
Many organizations rose to the occasion to hybridize their workplace, adopting new
ways of working, which they may not have been as motivated to do if it weren’t for the
pandemic.
Organizations that want to make this hybridized, “virtual-first” way of working
successful will likely need to adopt new best practices to support this system. Those
who are adept at best technical communication practices will have employable skills
for a new era of work.4
A New Way of Working
Leading-edge organizations implementing the “new way of working” will require
adaptive technical communicators to develop relevant skill sets. As businesses learn
how to function in the post-pandemic world, the global World Wide Web and
supporting telecom technologies will allow the workplace to be distributed across
employee’s homes, offices, or satellite work spaces. For certain industries, employees
might choose to work remotely or face-to-face based on the nature of the work and
their team’s preferences.
Figure 2.2: Business learn to function in the post-pandemic world.
Photo by Dmitry Zvolskiy via Pexels.
Adaptive teams should be virtual-ready with web-based platforms and software
applications as support. Technical communicators should be at the helm,
communicating new strategies and best practices within the organization.
Managers should work alongside technical communicators to effectively manage,
coach, collaborate, evaluate performance, and motivate teams that are working
remotely.5
The technology utilized in these situations should enable multiple modes of working—
saving data on the cloud, accessing security measures for different working modes,
and supporting individual workers and their teams.
The work culture should also communicate how powerful building trust and promoting
organizational belonging are in supporting remote workers. Technical communicators
should be involved with the process of gathering data and reporting in-house on data
collected—both to management teams and to the remote workers themselves.
Interpersonal Communication as a Tool for Technical
Communicators
Being a technical communications expert also means being adept at interpersonal
communications. Hybridized workplaces can experience drawbacks in interpersonal
communication. Interpersonal relationships are formed with intent and care, and
technical communicators should be interested in the tasks of how to best implement
these processes as part of the organization.
While technical communicators should theoretically be the most adept in any
organization at handling hiccups and quandaries and creating seamless
communication processes, employing digital communication alone isn’t enough. In
fact, digital communication alone can increase feelings of being disconnected from the
organization and can negatively impact work satisfaction.6
Humans do not always prefer interfacing with “digital” technology for every business
transaction or interaction. Since we still value face-to-face contact, effective technical
communication should always presume there is another human being with ideas,
goals, dreams, and fears on the other end of the conversation.7
Even pre-quarantine, there was a disparity in job satisfaction between workers who
were remote versus those who worked in the office. When this occurred, it was usually
because of an imbalance in communication between remote and in-office employees.
Those who worked in the office tended to prefer interactions with each other rather
than with those who worked remotely. This negatively impacted the morale and
productivity of the remote workers by creating an us-versus-them dynamic.8
There are ways technical communication experts working in-house can mitigate the
us-versus-them dynamic with coworkers, clients, and stakeholders, and
simultaneously utilize technology to bridge gaps in communication. The way we
communicate is changing—that much is apparent. How you transform as a technical
communicator also matters as the digital landscape and the way we work changes.
Everyone belonging to an organization should become an internal communications
expert, and graduates in technical communications can lead the way.9
Keep in mind that the best technical communicator must not only focus on strategy
and tactics, utilizing the latest tools and channels, but also have a deep understanding
of how to bring measurable value to the organization.10 You cannot bring measurable
value and generate positive outcomes if you don’t have meaningful, goal- and missionoriented conversations with stakeholders.
To bring value to an organization, technical communicators should help lead
conversations and implement processes that promote positive work environments—
using technology as a way to serve the people within the organization. To do this
effectively, implement the following principles: active listening, collaboration, inclusion,
and cohesion.
Figure 2.3: Technical communicators help lead conversations.
Photo by fauxels via Pexels.
Active Listening: Being an effective listener and building rapport is the first
requirement for being successful as a technical communicator. Practice active
listening through engagement surveys, communication software platforms, and
effective Q&A sessions as part of meetings where every department of the
organization feels included and encouraged to participate. Focus groups and
workshops also keep employees engaged and invested in the process of
communication.
Collaboration: Share strategies and updates with coworkers, managers, and
stakeholders in an informative, collaborative way where everyone has the opportunity
to pitch in.
Inclusion: Include all parts of the company in conversations, so that contributions
from all sectors of the organization are acknowledged.
Cohesion: Inclusion will promote cohesion. Promote in-group and out-group cohesion
by reducing potential areas of conflict.11 Research shows that a company is more
successful when everyone feels they belong, when they feel they are an important part
of a group, and when they are able to develop feelings of social cohesion. 12 These
principles help people find their purpose within an organization and lessen feelings of
burnout.
2.3Information, Processes, and Strategies for Internal
Technical Communications
Evolving Techniques Transcript
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The ways in which we define work will continue to change with globalization and
telecommunications continuing to advance. Those who are innovative and are able to
adapt will be more employable and will likely enjoy more flexibility and job
satisfaction.1
As you become a more experienced technical communicator, there will be some
important concepts for you to grapple with. Consider three key concepts: digital
disruption, digital transformation, and, and digital maturity.
Figure 2.4: Digital disruption changes the way companies—and individuals—do
business.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
Digital disruption refers to ways in which digital technologies destabilize how
companies and industries have traditionally done business—changing the rules and
challenging certain status quos.
Digital transformation is a way to measure how well an organization has integrated
and adapted to the digital disruption that threatens the stability or status quo of their
industry.
Digital maturity is a way to measure how the digital transformation has improved the
company or industry over the course of a period of time.2 The degree to which an
organization is considered digitally mature will determine what strategies will be useful
to you, and where you might find challenges.
Digital disruption caused by innovative technology and telecoms requires
organizations to implement new strategies in order for traditional physical workplaces
to “get up to speed” and digitally transform to remain credible and competitive in their
industries.
For industries that have not yet implemented new ways of interacting with the wider
world via technology and telecoms, maintaining a competitive edge in the 2020s and
beyond will prove difficult. Incorporating innovative technical communication
frameworks can disrupt industries—in positive ways. These potential high-impact
digital strategies should be implemented and communicated effectively. 3
High-Impact Technical Communication Strategies Can
Prompt Innovation and Positively Transform Industries
One high-impact strategy that prompts innovation and digital transformation within an
organization is called “ubiquitous optimization,” which aims to increase an
organization’s business value in every sector, utilizing digital technology to accomplish
this goal. Technical communicators are central to monitoring and communicating
processes that promote ubiquitous optimization within an organization.
Ubiquitous optimization across all sectors is a worthy goal—it moves an organization
to digital maturity. To achieve ubiquitous optimization, communication strategies and
digital capabilities need to align with the organization’s goals and mission and ensure
its infrastructure and ecosystems are compatible and in sync.
Thinking Like an Intrapreneur as a Technical
Communicator
Digital disruption and transformation can positively impact organizations and transform
entire industries. Individuals can also have a similar impact within an organization.
Technical communicators should think like a digital intrapreneur—someone who can
innovate by creating new processes, eliminate waste within an organization, and work
well both independently and with a team.4
Intrapreneurs effect change from within an organization and lead innovation. Research
shows that being intrapreneurial can increase your work engagement and productivity,
and that even by making small changes you can find more meaning in the work you
do—which positively impacts quality of life and job satisfaction.5
Figure 2.5: Intrapreneurs lead change from within an organization.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels.
Aligning technology and communication internally as a technical communicator is no
small feat. One study at MIT suggests that employees with soft skills who are able to
interpret data and create strategies that implement the data may be more valuable to
an organization than employees who are able to write code.6
What some have traditionally labeled “soft skills” should now be considered “core
skills,” since they are almost as important to an organization and its success as having
a product or service to take to market.7
The future of work, especially for industries such as information technology and
software engineering, will include artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and
robotic process automation—which some insist will require candidates to possess
“hard” technical competencies.
While hard skills require competency of technical tasks, soft skills (core skills) relate to
your ability to be intrapreneurial and innovative, looking at ways to problem solve and
work well within a team. Even at top IT firms, recruiters require their candidates to
possess core skills. According to a 2019 LinkedIn research report of over 5,000
respondents in 35 countries, 91 percent of recruiters say these core skills are the most
important skills for a candidate to possess.8
Research shows that technical communicators and AI will have an increasingly
symbiotic relationship as AI becomes more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence, after
all, was created by humans, who are social creatures.9 Where AI lags, technical
communicators will likely pick up the slack (and perhaps vice versa).
As AI becomes more adept at handling technical competencies, technical
communicators can learn how to interpret the technical processes, analyze data, and
communicate in a way that lands well with the right audience.
Impacting Organizational Culture through Digital Intrapreneurship
Technical communicators can impact organizational culture and lead in digital
intrapreneurship by implementing the following strategies:
Figure 2.6: Technical communicators can change organizational culture.
Photo by Olia Danilevich via Pexels.
Take risks: The old adage “ask for forgiveness, not for permission” may hold true for
making an impact within an organization, as risk-taking within an organization actually
spurs innovation—especially when an organization is not necessarily digitally mature.
By leading as a change-maker, technical communicators can impact a company’s
trajectory for the better.
Be a good salesperson: Technical communicators may or may not be silver-tongued
schemers, but being able to “sell” an innovation or an idea that can help a company
become more digitally mature, and improve internal communication, is a necessary
skill.
Be proactive: Leading innovation as a technical communicator means you will have
to take initiative instead of just accepting the status quo. If there is a communications
leak or gap, or there are inefficient processes, being proactive and researching ways
to make things better will reflect well on you as an intrapreneurial employee and
technical communicator.
Be resourceful: Effective technical communicators are on the front line in determining
how an organization will learn new technical products and processes. Too many new
processes can be confusing for employees to learn and costly for employers if the
processes aren’t integrated well. Prioritize what resources your organization already
has that are still effective, and research and implement processes or procedures that
could use updating.10
Questions for Reflection
• How are your own core communication skills and your abilities for interpreting
organizational data keeping up with best practices?
• How can you improve your own soft communication skills?
• How well can you interpret organizational data to become a more effective technical
communicator?
Before Moving Along
Consider how hypertext theory (which we talked about in section 1.2), as applied to
technical communication, changes the ways we understand systems within an
organization.
Hypertext theory as a mode of technical communication impacts
internal intranet systems and communication methods. Hypertext theory also impacts
larger collective bodies and networks, including all of our collected works existing in
digital format—that is, the World Wide Web (and beyond).
To illustrate how all systems within an organization are interrelated as in industry ecosystems,
examine the phenomenon that is the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things is something we will
begin discussing in further topics as we grapple with how to be the most effective, relevant, and
up-to-date technical communicator.
2.4Best Practices in Internal Communication
When Technical Communications within an Organization
Are Not Aligned
Sometimes there are inefficient internal communication processes that negatively
impact corporate culture. These can range from software that is a mismatch for the
needs of the company to communication channels that aren’t collaborative.
Figure 2.7: Inefficient internal communication is a headache for everyone involved!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
Long, formal emails sent by managers and stakeholders can also negatively impact
morale and feelings of corporate cohesiveness. These inefficiencies can cost money,
and if not money, certainly human energy and other resources.
Internal communication blunders are very costly for an organization. According to one
study, up to 60 percent of businesses do not have a long-term internal
communications strategy (which strategies should always include those who are adept
in technical communications).1 Without a theoretical and practical approach to longterm internal communication strategies, a company leaves too much to fate.
A breakdown in communication can lower employee morale, leading to reduced
productivity and increased organization turnover. A recent Gallup poll suggests losses
in productivity cost the US $550 billion per year.2 Replacing an employee can cost a
company as much as 30 percent of that employee’s annual salary.
Mistakes in internal communications include using outdated or outmoded
communication strategies, not collecting employee feedback, or not providing
employees a safe space to communicate internal struggles, fears, or concerns.
Roadblocks to Effective Internal Communications
•
Closed, inauthentic communication styles, processes, and procedures.
•
Ineffective communications tools and processes. The wrong software as a
service (SaaS) program could also contribute to this. While SaaS programs
are designed to help with internal communication processes, use of too many
of these programs can also end up hindering communication by
overcomplicating what could be clear processes and protocols.
•
Managers who lack the ability to effectively communicate with employees.
•
Employees that don’t have the right tools, resources, or systems to support
effective communication with their managers, stakeholders, or collaborative
team members or coworkers.
•
Lack of teamwork in solving communication problems. Research shows
collaborative ways of working promote innovation.
Effective Internal Communication Strategies
Technical communicators are often charged with applying IT solutions to build a
unified information environment for an organization. Technical communication
strategies can set the standard for achieving organizational goals internally, then
extending this culture outward to the public, to clients, and to customers. 3
Figure 2.8: Effective internal communication.
Photo by Brooke Cagle via Unsplash.
To effectively collaborate, teams should use information and communication
technologies (ICTs) that adequately support the complexity of the tasks required to
meet an organization’s needs.4 Developing a long-term communication strategy
should also include moving the organization toward full digital maturity.
There are three key steps to successful internal communication. Before beginning any
internal communication venture, ensure you implement the following steps as the
basis of your strategies throughout the process. Repeat the steps throughout the
process, starting with larger and moving to smaller tasks and initiatives. 5
•
Secure Understanding
•
Nurture the Audience
•
Motivate to Action
Steps to Secure Understanding
Ensure the message is clear, concise, and easy to understand for your audience.
Using data and IT solutions to drive the conversation, begin creating a strategy that
will benefit your organization.
•
Conduct a full communications audit to show communication weaknesses
and strengths. This process should involve management and
stakeholders.6 The audit includes conducting research. Use tools such as
employee surveys and other data collection tools like Google Analytics.
Surveys could also gather data about public and stakeholder attitudes and
reactions.
•
Collaborate with leaders for goals and KPIs (key performance indicators) to
measure progress and track completion of tasks.
•
Ensure that technical communications align with the company’s ethos,
mission, and culture.
•
If the organization could benefit from updating their corporate social
responsibility plan (CSR), consider weaving this update into long-term
technical communications planning.7
•
When collecting data, incorporate the four main elements of research
methodology: measurement objectives, data collection, recommended
surveys, and reporting a plan (as discussed in section 1.4).
Steps to Nurture the Audience
The message should be understood and agreed upon as being beneficial, impactful,
and likely to move the organization toward its mission, goals, campaigns, and
initiatives.
Figure 2.9: Nurture the audience.
Photo by fauxels via Pexels.
•
Engage employees fully in company information and news, including building
and enhancing organizational culture.
•
Ensure that managers and stakeholders understand how the way they
communicate impacts employee’s morale, personal investment, and
productivity. Strategies for implementing feedback should encourage
intrapreneurship, safety, and cohesiveness, and should be communicated
and supported using effective protocols.
•
Ensure that technical communications align with the company’s ethos,
mission, and culture.
•
In the form of reports, instructions for use of technical content, and
instructions for best communication strategies, provide well-written and
coherent documentation of what is working and what is less effective.
Analyze data.
•
Communicate daily using technical communication processes that are
enhanced with effective software and streamlined protocols. If you don’t
streamline your processes, you’ll burn out employees, and managers and
stakeholders will be less effective leaders.
•
Offer a variety of communication strategies and ways to connect with others
in the organization.
Steps to Motivate to Action
Make calls to action about how to implement strategies and then analyze data to
course correct when needed.
•
Ensure your team understands the purpose of the communication and begin
implementing collaborative planning strategies.
•
Create current planning strategies and procedures that are effective, with
hypothesized and well-researched methods to move the organization in a
positive new direction.
•
Align employees’ purposes and objectives with the company’s mission and
ethos in a way that allows employees to see the value they bring to the
company.
•
Incorporate strategies that allow employees to see how their contributions
and those of others are being communicated, and how those contributions
are aligning with metrics, or KPIs. The data should show how the planning
strategies meet KPIs and goals.
Figure 2.10: The cycle of effective internal communication.
Case Studies in Technical Communication
Figure 2.11: Nike.
Photo by Shane Aldendorff via Pexels.
Consider the following case studies where internal communication processes went
wrong within these organizations. Read the associated article for each case study, and
consider ways that the internal communications went wrong. Also consider ways that
you could rectify the situation using improved instructional tools, software, and
technology, to communicate strategies and protocols.
Scenario A: An internal survey created by female employees working at Nike revealed
gender discrimination at the company. The results of this survey led to a class action
lawsuit against Nike, as well as the resignation of several high-ranking employees.
Read the story here.
Scenario B: In 2016, some third-party investigators discovered fraud within the
corporate bank Wells Fargo. Employees at local branches were creating additional
bank accounts in customer’s names without the customers’ permission. Read the
story here.
2.5Strategies and Processes for Writing Internal Reports
Creating documentation is just as important to being a good technical communicator
as are communicating and implementing technical communication strategies and best
practices. This section will give more information about how to create the
documentation for internal processes as a technical writer.
Figure 2.12: Creating documentation.
Photo by Burst via Pexels.
After you’ve set your clear and measurable objectives based on data and goals and
initiatives, you will need to segment your internal audiences and decide which
channels to use for internal communication. Once you’ve nurtured your internal
audience, ensure they have clear calls to action. Consider these questions:
•
What types of digital documentation are critical to an organization’s internal
communications structure?
•
What is an intranet and how do organizations utilize intranets for internal
technical communications?
•
Will you use the company’s intranet?
•
To inform your internal audience, will you utilize an internal newsletter, use a
software application, or find another alternative?
•
Will you share reports, infographics, videos, or podcasts?
Applying Technical Communications Principles
To reiterate and help you apply what you’ve learned so far, we will look at some case
studies and apply theoretical principles to these situations.
Remember to apply the principles of best internal communication practices discussed
in section 2.2: collaboration, inclusion, cohesion, and active listening. Also include the
principles in section 2.3: take risks, be a good salesperson, be proactive, and be
resourceful.
The three steps discussed in section 2.4, secure understanding, nurture the audience,
and motivate to action, will help with the process of creating internal technical
communication strategies and documentation.
Case Study #1
Consider a medium-sized business that sells and services high-end copy machines.
Other than the company website, which is very simple, the only tools the company has
been using are spreadsheets to track goals and report their sales. The company wants
to update its communication processes and software. It also wants to become more
digitally relevant and offer salespeople and marketing teams the opportunity for flex
time—where they can work either in or out of the office—as long as they are meeting
objectives and performance indicators.
Figure 2.13: Copy machine.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
The company decides to invest in 3-D copy machines to rent or sell to other
businesses. The 3-D copy machines come with digital user manuals and digital assets
like logos the company can use for marketing their brand on their website. The new 3D copiers are an exciting investment for the company, but they are an expensive new
technology and only the owners have any real product knowledge.
The company has a marketing team of two individuals, a sales team of ten individuals,
two service technicians who deliver and service the copier machines, an office
manager, and two company owners. As the company grows and hires new
salespeople, marketing employees, and service technicians, you have been hired to
organize and manage efficient internal communications strategies to help the
company become more digitally mature and communicate the 3-D printer technology
to the new hires. You are new to 3-D printers and do not know much about how they
work. How will you begin tackling your new job?
Let’s begin:
Run a communications audit. What measurement objectives does the company use to
determine how employees are performing and if the 3-D printers are profitable? How
will you collect data? Should you survey the old and new employees about their
current knowledge of 3-D printers? Should the company invest in an intranet, or other
software applications for seamless communication? Who still likes the spreadsheets?
Figure 2.14: Computer technician.
Photo by Christina Morillo via Pexels.
Presuming everyone hates the spreadsheets and is excited for the company to
become more digitally relevant, you research the best software applications and
intranet and work with the computer technician, who is brilliant at coding, to update the
website and install the new software. Using the new company intranet, you instruct the
employees on the software use. This way the company can align sales and marketing,
and report progress towards goals, helping document how the company is performing.
Using the 3-D printer digital instruction manual, you prepare a sales script for the
technicians and salespeople who need to instruct their customers, in language
everyone understands, about how to use the 3-D printers. You write a report for the
employees about how to use the intranet and communication software and what best
communication practices they should use. You also write a report for the company
owners/stakeholders and report to them about how the employees are implementing
the new intranet and software.
Case Study #2
You are an employee at a medium- to large-sized company that employs scientists,
engineers, and doctors to design cutting-edge medical devices. The company sells
medical devices such as surgical and infection control devices, general medical
devices, cardiovascular devices, orthopedic devices, and home health care devices.
Figure 2.15: Medical device.
Photo by Anna Shvets via Pexels.
You are part of a team of medical technical writers and need to coordinate with the
communications director, management, sales teams, doctors, surgeons, and medical
device engineers. Your company is digitally mature, uses an intranet, and provides
software applications like Trello for internal communication, helping employees and
stakeholders manage projects and see them through to completion.
Your company uses other internal software, such as Google Workspace, to edit and
share live web content and to manage projects. You need to write abstracts, cite all
content appropriately, look at and have an in-depth understanding of the peerreviewed studies and research, understand the visual graphics provided by the teams,
and create internal reports that allow for communication flow between different
departments, as well as ensure timely delivery of your content.
Your company mobilizes agile teams (familiarize yourself with the concept of agile
teams here) as a way to manage projects. You are working on a specific project for a
medical device that has been patented and is ready to go to market. Your company,
the communications director, and the project manager have created a long-term
communications strategy for this project; your deadlines are somewhat flexible, but
you are in a high-demand environment.
You have moved beyond the “Secure Understanding” stage and now must “Nurture
the Audience” and “Motivate to Action” to get the product on the market. You must
show your team members you can provide written technical content that is clearly
understood by all parties.
Let’s begin:
For this particular project, your most important audience is the medical device
salesperson, since the salesperson is part of your internal team. The salesperson will
sell the medical device to a surgeon, medical doctor, or physical therapist who may in
turn suggest a medical device to patients to meet their health care needs.
Figure 2.16: Salesperson.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels.
Your agile teammates will include a salesperson, who reports back to you about how
easy the content is to understand, and the product designer and project manager, who
will collaborate with the product developers and engineers to make sure the
information you have provided is correct.
Start by researching a new medical device that is emerging onto the market (choose
one you find on the list of emerging medical devices here). Research to find
infographics and data that will help you understand how to communicate what that
product is, what it does, and how to use the device. Your medical device end user in
this case is a surgeon, medical doctor, or physical therapist that will purchase the
device from your company.
How the medical device is used and implemented needs to be understood by all
parties. To ensure this understanding, you will eventually have to produce sales
material—such as a brochure or some digital content on an external-facing website—
for a patient that might be requiring surgery or for health care providers. Risks for
using the product and risks for the surgery itself also need to be mentioned.
Eventually this content will be used as product boilerplate content that can be
repurposed using different channels of communication, and the voice and tone you
use in this content will depend on the intended audience.
2.6Highlights and Main Takeaways
Figure 2.17: Nurture the audience.
Photo by fauxels via Pexels.
As we will be using the basic three-step process discussed in section 2.4 throughout
this course, review the principles here and refer back to this topic when necessary.
Secure Understanding: Gather as much intel or data as possible before setting out
to develop a long or short-term plan or strategy. You can always fact-check and
course correct as you gain more insights.
Nurture the Audience: In order to nurture the members of your audience properly,
you should know who they are and understand the best channels, styles, or modes
of communication that capture their attention and gain their trust. These should not
be simply top-down or one-way types of communication, but should be collaborative
wherever possible.
Motivate to Action: After you formulate plans, communicate what they are, and
build relationships of trust, you should be able to use your chosen modes of
communication to motivate your audience with calls to action. You can gain insights
throughout the process and begin this cycle all over again wherever necessary.