BSCOM 400 UoPX Communications Discussion

1Introduction
In the rapidly evolving international of engineering and production, 3D Printing has
revolutionized prototyping processes, allowing groups like Pronto Engineering to provide
exceptional plastic prototypes correctly. However, with the appearance of the metallic 3-D
printing era, there may be a possibility to take Pronto Engineering’s business operations to new
heights and advantage a competitive edge (Bi & Wang, 2020). This essay’s objectives are to
discover the variations between metal and plastic 3D printing, talk about the capability blessings
and downsides of incorporating the metal 3-d printing era into Pronto Engineering’s operations,
and describe a proposal for its integration (Raut & Al-Shamery, 2018).
Metal vs. Plastic 3D Printing
1. Process and Material Differences:
Plastic 3D Printing
•
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) or Stereolithography (SLA) processes are
commonly used.
•
PLA, ABS, and other thermoplastics are used as printing materials.
Metal 3D Printing
•
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) or Electron Beam Melting (EBM) processes are generally
used.
•
Metal powders, which include stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, are used as printing
substances.
Strength and Durability
Plastic 3D Printing
•
Ideal for rapid prototyping and low-stress applications.
•
Limited mechanical strength and durability compared to metal.
Metal 3D Printing
1
2
•
High mechanical strength and durability, suitable for functional prototypes and
end-use parts.
•
Offers better structural integrity and resilience.
2. Precision and Complexity
Plastic 3D Printing:
•
Limited precision and resolution, suitable for basic geometries.
•
This may result in visible layer lines on the surface.
Metal 3D Printing
•
High precision and resolution, capable of intricate and complex designs.
•
Produces smoother and more refined surface finishes.
Pros and Cons of Metal 3D Printing for Pronto Engineering
1. Advantages: a. Diversifying Offerings
•
Metal 3D printing expands Pronto Engineering’s capabilities to cater to clients’
diverse needs.
b. Enhanced Performance:
•
Metal prototypes offer superior mechanical properties, allowing for functional
testing.
c. Shorter Lead Times:
•
Faster production of metal prototypes can reduce project timelines.
2. Challenges: a. Initial Investment:
•
Metal 3D printers and metal powders are more expensive than their plastic
counterparts. b. Expertise and Training:
•
Pronto Engineering’s staff may require training to operate and maintain metal 3D
printers. c. Material Handling and Safety:
•
Metal powders demand careful handling due to their reactivity and health risks.
Proposal for Integrating Metal 3D Printing
1. Investment Analysis:
•
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to assess the financial viability of acquiring metal
3D printers.
2. Skill Development:
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3
•
Identify training needs and plan workshops to upskill the workforce in metal 3D
printing.
3. Safety Measures:
•
Establish protocols for handling and storing metal powders to ensure the safety of
employees (Tan et al., 2019).
4. Marketing Strategy:
•
Develop a marketing plan to promote the new metal 3D printing services to
existing and potential clients.
Conclusion
Metal 3D printing technology represents an exciting opportunity for Pronto Engineering
to expand its capabilities and gain a competitive advantage in the engineering market (Dimitriou
& Michailidis, 2021). By understanding the differences between metal and plastic 3D printing
and carefully considering the pros and cons, the integration of metal 3D printing can
revolutionize the way Pronto Engineering operates, attracting new clientele and taking their
business to new heights of success.
3
4
4
5
Reference
Bi, Z., & Wang, X. (2020). Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing. John Wiley & Sons.
Dimitriou, E., & Michailidis, N. (2021). Printable conductive inks used for the fabrication of
electronics: An overview. Nanotechnology, 32(50), 502009. https://doi.org/10.1088/13616528/abefff
Raut, N. C., & Al-Shamery, K. (2018). Inkjet printing metals on flexible materials for plastic and
paper
electronics.
Journal
of
Materials
Chemistry
C,
6(7),
1618–1641.
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC04804A
Tan, H. W., An, J., Chua, C. K., & Tran, T. (2019). Metallic Nanoparticle Inks for 3D Printing of
Electronics.
Advanced
Electronic
Materials,
5(5),
1800831.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201800831
5
Chapter 12: Software Solutions for Creating and Editing Technical Content
12.1Editing Processes and Software Solutions for Technical Writing in a Team
Topic 12 Introduction Transcript
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Before the invention of the internet, the writing, editing, and collaborative process for creating technical communication
was often linear, and it was certainly analog. Print was king 30 years ago. However, with the advent of the internet,
websites started emerging—websites powered by digital advertisements and innovative content publishing software.
As the internet provided spaces for communicating and transferring files and data, software as a service (SaaS)
applications filled communications gaps. They became more sophisticated and easier to use, and the coding became
more intuitive—allowing the user to easily follow a step-by-step process as they navigated the software.
Figure 12.1: Speech has always been the primary method of human communication.
Photo by August de Richelieu via Pexels.
Speech has always been the primary method of human communication. Reading and writing are hard work. Technical
communication is difficult, dense, and often laborious to write and even more difficult for the audience to understand.
This is probably why forecasts predict that by 2022, around 82 percent of consumer internet traffic will be in video
format.1 The industry disruption that moves technical communications towards ubiquitous digital writing, editing, and
publishing continues.
As a technical communicator, mastering techniques and processes for creating digital video, audio, text, and graphics
will become increasingly important to remain relevant in the field. Navigating the technology and software that supports
these processes is equally important.
In the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, digital software for editing and creating written technical communications
solves problems we didn’t even realize we had 30 years ago. We are spoiled with almost endless choices when it
comes to software services and applications that interface between communicators and their audiences. This can be a
problem all on its own. SaaS programs can work wonders for technical communicators when implemented correctly, but
when they are misused, they can create more problems than they solve.
SaaS, or software as a service, is also known as on-demand software. SaaS is subscription-based software hosted on
the internet. Cloud-based technology like SaaS platforms allow users to access the software anytime, from any device
with an internet browser. SaaS programs are often cost-effective investments for organizations looking to improve the
digital maturity of their organization and streamline and improve communication and other administrative processes.
Selecting Software Services That Solve Problems (without Creating New
Ones)
In Topic 11, we discussed what technology and software a technical communicator should be familiar with when
navigating how to communicate, both internally and externally, using technology as an integral part of the process. This
topic discusses ways in which you can select a SaaS for various projects, as well as how to implement them and how to
mitigate the possibility that you overwhelm your teams and yourself.
Figure 12.2: Successfully instructing your audiences.
Photo by fauxels via Pexels.
Understanding these processes yourself and successfully instructing your audiences in their use also means becoming
a subject matter expert in the various software applications and platforms, contact management systems, and SaaS
applications. Additionally, you should be able to communicate best practices to internal- and external-facing sectors of
your organization who interact with the communications team.
Technical communicators also need to specifically know how to operate SaaS applications for editing content;
collaborating with the editorial team, direct reports, or stakeholders; and communicating these processes.
Understanding that not every organization will have ubiquitous technology use in every dimension of their business, you
must always be able to adjust accordingly and communicate to the various parts within an organization, adapting your
communication strategy to the options available.
Up to this point in the course, you have learned what technical communication is specifically, and you have learned
different styles and genres of technical communication. You understand how to learn material quickly and perform good
research, and in turn, instruct your audiences—whether they be experts, informed, or laypeople.
In this topic, we discuss SaaS applications more specifically and how to use them for a collaborative editorial process so
that you can use the best SaaS for content creation—including written and graphical content and images. We will
discuss specifics and go into more detail about the types of SaaS applications for writing, editing, and graphical content
creation for your documentation.
Scenarios Where SaaS May Help or Hinder
Digital technology like SaaS can make the process of organizing and creating content flow well, especially when
undertaking large or ongoing projects. It can also create other problems. Knowing how to pivot and make good
decisions based on what is or what isn’t working well is a critical part of maintaining effective communication.
Figure 12.3: Each new client.
Photo by Edmond Dantès via Pexels.
With each new client or organization you interact with, you may have either more or less access to technology and
digital resources than the client. For example, a B2B (business to business) contract with a client might include
communicating with an organization that is not digitally mature. Getting the client up to speed could prove difficult, so
you might have to adapt your techniques to find a technological middle ground for the organization.
Discerning what is appropriate for each scenario can be tricky. Perhaps the client uses an outdated system that is
offline, and your organization uses a live, web-based platform so that you can work synchronously with your colleagues.
You will want to use a software solution application that is most efficient and effective for the type of technical
documentation you are creating and that can meet the needs of your client.
Another scenario might be you working as a freelancer for a 501(c)3 organization for whom you have been asked to
write a grant proposal. You would need to find strategies for meeting the request for proposals and stipulations of the
grant in order for this organization to receive new funding. You must take into consideration that the organization you
are writing for may not have use of the software applications that you are accustomed to. On the other hand, you may
be asked to quickly learn a new SaaS application so that you can communicate with that organization effectively and
efficiently.
Another possibility is that you might be hired for a large technology firm. You may have much less experience, as a new
technical copywriter, using their various technologies and software—which for all intents and purposes, may actually be
more problematic than a more streamlined communication process with fewer applications as “solutions.” In this case,
you may have to navigate the use of many SaaS applications that are more time-consuming to use than creating the
content.
Learning SaaS Fast—Applying SaaS to Real-Life Scenarios
Think about how you would learn a new SaaS application quickly. As someone unfamiliar with a particular application,
how would you discover more about that SaaS software? Where would you look to get yourself up to speed very quickly
in order to improve a content creation or editing process with a team?
Case Study #1
You are hired to work for an innovative engineering firm that is creating a new arm of the company, and as the company
expands, the growing pains are stretching their SMEs and engineers thin. A technical communicator can put processes
in place that will create a better system—one that includes an intranet library containing journals and publications and
that will help everyone access information for research reports and proposals.
Figure 12.4: Look into software solutions that can help solve communications issues.
Photo by Free-Photos via Pixabay.
To help this company solve some of its growing pains, someone mentions in a meeting that they did some research
about software solutions that could help the newly expanding technical communications team solve some
communications issues. The company leaders determine that the team should look into these solutions, find one that
they feel will help the company most, and come up with a plan to incorporate the software into the company’s
communications plan. You are the technical communicator who will lead this project.
Let’s begin:
Research the SaaS Piktochart by looking at their website. Discover what this SaaS does to meet the needs of a
technical communicator looking to find a software solution that will help their team create content, organize, collaborate,
and co-edit their technical communications content. The faster you learn what this SaaS does to meet the needs of your
organization, the more bonus points you’ll get with your direct reports.
Think of ways in which you can learn what Piktochart could do for your team and how you would explain its use to your
team using your technical communicator voice. Your team wants infographics and research reports, and they want them
to look good. Would this be a good SaaS to use for this scenario? Why or why not? Does Piktochart have a competitor?
If so, how would you find out what the competitor offered, and how would you compare the two to see which SaaS your
company should invest in?
Case Study #2
The creative digital marketing firm you work for realizes you have basic knowledge of technical communications. The
firm has taken on a B2B client that sells farming equipment to medical cannabis growers, and you are asked to become
project lead to determine the best ways to communicate what your client is selling to the growers. Your team consists of
another copywriter, a creative designer that creates infographics, a social media specialist, and a data analyst. Your
team will not be able to meet in person as part of the team works out of the office.
Figure 12.5: Farming equipment.
Photo by Tom Fisk via Pexels.
Let’s begin:
You remember that, earlier in this course, we suggested creating a mind map to start conceptualizing how to distill
technical information into various deliverables for various channels and audiences. Since your team will not be able to
meet in person, you decide creating a mind map that your team can use to collaborate asynchronistically would be a
good idea. You need to start brainstorming and making a plan of action, and you also need to create a calendar for all
your deliverables.
Google has a software called Jamboards. You need to do some research to determine if Jamboards is a software
solution your team could use to collaborate, and if it could function effectively as a web-based mind map. You also need
to find a way to communicate to your team why you think mind mapping is a good idea and instruct them on how to use
Jamboards.
Is Jamboards an appropriate web-based SaaS for your team to begin the planning and creating stages of your project?
Why or why not? Does Jamboards have a competitor? Are there other SaaS that could better serve your team’s needs?
How would you find out? Compare and contrast these SaaS.
12.2Using SaaS Applications to Write, Edit, and Create Technical
Communication Content in a Team
It is helpful to understand how a communications team might function inside a medium- to large-sized organization in
order to determine what types of SaaS applications would be most effective for solving various communications needs.
Figure 12.6: Communications team.
Photo by Jud Mackrill via Unsplash.
Traditionally, a communications team inside a medium- to large-sized organization revolves around corporate and
product communications teams. New ways of working and relating using digital technologies are requiring a new model
for structuring more effective communications teams.1
Communications teams may now rely more on project managers for key media channels that are owned, paid, shared,
and earned. This is called a channel-focused communications strategy.2 This may sound like a strategy for marketers,
but remember, technical communicators are often part of a larger communications team, and they need to be aware of
and often contribute to the company’s larger communications plan.
Depending on the organization you work for, your organization and communication team size, and your access to
resources, you may work within a more traditional setting that utilizes corporate- and product-focused communications
strategies, or your organization may utilize a channel-focused communications strategy.3
SaaS for Corporate- and Product-Focused Technical Communications
Teams
Corporate technical communications teams will want to align voice, brand, and the organization’s mission throughout the
company. The chief communication officer (CCO) of a medium- to large-sized organization in the STEM fields for
instance, will oversee marketing and PR, investor relations, and B2B relations, as well as monitor growth of all channel
and audience segments.
The CCO will want reports and proposals made by other departments. Managers of these departments will directly
report to the corporate team and they will ensure they have the right team leaders that know how to communicate
bilaterally to SMEs so the correct information gets to the correct audiences. As we’ve discussed in previous topics,
technical communicators are often the liaison between SMEs and other departments of an organization.
Figure 12.7: Chief communication officer.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
The CCO of a blockchain-based media platform, for instance, will want managers to disseminate the relevant
information to the most receptive audience. A suggestion from the chief communication officer in this scenario may
suggest the marketing department never discuss details about how well, or poorly, the cryptocurrency markets are
doing. But the investors will demand this information. The corporate communications team in this scenario will be the
command center for controlling how certain things are spoken about in specific scenarios.
An effective way to manage every communication that comes as a result of a company directive is to use SaaS
applications that are equipped to handle communications from this perspective.
Product-focused communications hone in on the organization’s value propositions. SMEs who are experts in the product
or service the organization is providing would be a critical part of this communications process.
A workflow automation SaaS such as Process Street may be a solution for corporate-focused communications for
technical fields. It can also interface with other SaaS programs that other departments may need to use for their own
processes.
Questions for Reflection
• Are there other SaaS you think a corporate focused technical communication team should implement?
• Who are Process Street’s competitors?
• Knowing what you now know about the field of technical communications and all it entails, what other types of SaaS might a
technical communications team require to most effectively create and deliver their deliverables?
SaaS for Channel-Focused Technical Communications Teams
Channel-focused communications teams may have an advantage over traditional product-focused teams, in that
channel-focused teams integrate marketing and sales—creating more seamless communication. This means that there
may be a competitive advantage for channel-focused teams, leading to higher sales and brand recognition for the
organization.4
This style of team leverages the most appropriate channel to reach owned, paid, shared, and earned external
stakeholders, but an effective channel-focused team also prioritizes the needs of all the stakeholders—both internal and
external. The type of content that reaches each type of channel is focused and optimized according to the needs of the
audience.
So what types of SaaS would a channel-focused communications team, especially one in the STEM or other technical
fields, require for maximum efficiency—aligning internal communications, sales, and marketing?
Consider knowledge that technical communicators would need if they wanted to use the correct SaaS tools to
streamline these channel-focused strategies. A basic understanding of what paid, earned, shared, and owned (also
known as PESO strategy)5 channels is needed.
Figure 12.8: Paid, earned, shared, and owned channels of media.
Paid channels: Paid channels used to mean television and radio advertising. Today, effective means of paid media
include digital strategies such as native advertising, social media campaigns, search engine ads (SEA) like Google Ads,
and retargeting. Paid media today can also include paying an influencer to promote your organization’s product or
service. For example, perhaps you work for a home security company, and the company pays an influencer to promote
the high tech home security system the company offers. Effective technical communicators must learn how to be adept
at analyzing insights from these paid channels, since communicators will often be creating reports and proposals based
on the information.
Earned channels: Say the influencer from the example above isn’t paid by your organization to promote the high tech
home security system, but rather, the influencer purchases the system and likes it so much that he or she shares the
information about it on a social media channel. That social media post is considered an earned channel of
communication. Other types of earned channels are publicity or media relations, such as being featured on a local
podcast or news story.
Shared channels: Shared channels consist of content that is both owned and generated by the organization, but then is
shared and disseminated with your external audiences by third parties. These channels include any content your
company creates—such as newsletters, email campaigns, research reports, and social media posts (potentially content
that you, as a technical communicator, helped create)—that makes it into the hands of your external audience members
through an unpaid third party.
Owned channels: Owned channels refer to the communication and media assets that belong to the organization.
These often include newsletters, trade journal publications for technical communication that have been researched and
created in-house, content published on your websites, and blog and social media content.
Why Understanding Channel-Focused Communication Matters
Most audiences like to see statistics—and they like statistics to be shown in a visual way.6 The human brain is like a
computer processor. It takes in all kinds of information using multiple types of sensory input. Visual input is important to
the brain and helps make textual data easier to digest—it is also considered a type of persuasive rhetoric called visual
rhetoric. As we discussed in section 5.4, the visual components of a research report or proposal should have a bilateral
relationship with the textual information. The visual data should support the textual information and vice versa.
Figure 12.9: Audiences like statistics to be shown in a visual way.
Photo by Lukas via Pexels.
SaaS platforms like Canva and Infogram base their entire business model on providing software solutions that meet this
human need for visual infographics. Their value propositions, the value they provide to the market, is based on data that
show humans require multiple ways of learning and digesting information. Their SaaS programs offer templates to make
charts and graphs easier to integrate into documentation—especially technical documentation and communication.
These technical textual components are not only important to integrate into your research proposals and reports, they
also work well on channels such as your organization’s website, intranet, blog posts, investor reports, email campaigns,
and even social media channels.
12.3SaaS for Content Creation and Strategies for Working with Your Team
Microsoft Word was one of the first software programs that helped a user identify misspelled words, and provided word
counts and other basic features. The newest versions of Microsoft 365 are now available on the web as SaaS, with live
co-editing features much like Google Docs. Zoho WorkDrive’s Writer is another tool that allows for live syncing coediting action, as well as for integration with the Microsoft suite.
Figure 12.10: Bit.ai is a workplace and document collaboration platform.
Photo from bit.ai.
Bit.ai is another collaborative document creation platform that integrates well with Google, Microsoft, web-links, and
cloud sharing. It includes end-to-end file collaboration with tech organizations like Canon, and it is used by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
These SaaS tools all utilize co-authoring tools, editing solutions, and template libraries for various documentation
creation like reports and resumes.
A SaaS program like DropBox allows content creation and communication teams to collaborate on a centralized
platform. For technical communication documentation like grants or project proposals, you can begin this collaborative
process by modifying the checklist provided in this course to outline the necessary essential points for your projects as
they progress to completion.
One benefit of DropBox is that it allows you to store large files such as data insights, share new ideas, and leave
comments for other collaborators as your project expands. Using a mind map for this process would also be helpful for
teasing out smaller digestible pieces of content for various deliverables. OneDrive is a competitor of DropBox—and is
owned by Microsoft.
Editing software like Grammarly and Hemingway can help beginning writers see their strengths and weaknesses so they
can improve their readability and vocabulary. Keep in mind, however, that these SaaS tools for improving writing have
their drawbacks, especially for more advanced writers.
Once your team has selected the right SaaS documentation collaboration, the rigor of technical writing can become
much more enjoyable. But first, you should decide on the rules of engagement and co-editing etiquette and politics, or
you may have delays on your projects that are rife with human errors.
The Rules of Engagement with your Content or Technical Communications
Team—Using SaaS
When managing the processes of collaboration and editing for technical documentation using SaaS, it is important that
roles are assigned and identified and everyone’s duties are clear. The person managing or leading the project should
maintain document ownership, assign editing rights to the appropriate team members, and enable features like Word’s
track changes or the Google Docs suggesting mode at appropriate times.
Figure 12.11: It is important that roles are assigned and identified.
Photo by fauxels via Pexels.
To ensure efficient document collaboration, you can use SaaS tools like instant messaging services, document
notifications, and strategies like screen sharing for remote workers while teams are logged into the document
simultaneously. All these tools have the potential to maximize efficiency in communication. Good use of soft skills in
communication makes technical communication processes all the more seamless and mitigates human errors.
Consistent Documentation
Most web-based SaaS for collaborative editing and content creation allows for tracking edits and versions of edits, which
makes it possible to retrieve any information that might have been accidentally deleted. However, having many people
working on the same document at the same time can still lead to confusion, and some things can get lost in the process.
To ensure that your documentation stays consistent, it’s important to establish clear methods of accomplishing tasks.
Having a system for performing a process within a project—whether that process is making edits to a document, adding
information to a section, or providing feedback on another’s work—will help the whole project go more smoothly. But in
order to succeed, that system has to be known and followed by all. You should have clear communication and
documentation about processes and procedures for each aspect of the project.
Clearly Defined Roles
Part of working in any team is defining clear roles for the team members. Give each member of the team specific tasks.
When team members know their duties and responsibilities, they avoid stepping on toes, repeating work, or forgetting
important tasks as much as possible. Make sure that every team member knows what they are responsible for and who
to come to if they have questions about those responsibilities. Remember, you are a technical communicator: being able
to clearly communicate roles, tasks, and procedures will always be an important skill.
Frequent Communication as Needed
Communication is key when developing a document. When in doubt, overcommunicate rather than undercommunicate.
Utilize your SaaS solutions to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Talk via video calls, web-based chats, and
email as needed. Some SaaS tools that can help with these communication needs include Zoom video conferencing,
Google Meet, Gmail or Outlook, and your company’s own intranet system. Remember that sometimes live
conversations can solve problems more quickly and easily than conversations in text formats.
Figure 12.12: When in doubt, overcommunicate.
Photo by energepic.com via Pexels.
Make sure also that everyone knows how to use each of the tools you will employ—both the document creation SaaS
tools and the other communication SaaS tools that will be part of the process. As we discussed in section 11.4, ongoing
internal support for everyone using SaaS for communication is essential. To remain relevant and effective, it’s important
to ensure that each worker who is utilizing SaaS solutions has access to ongoing training.
Additionally, your team needs to exercise flexibility to edit processes as needed—this includes making room for human
error and correcting along the way. Growing and operating pains are common. With or without SaaS solutions,
strategizing ways to troubleshoot the collaboration and editing process can mitigate the risk of ineffective or inconsistent
communication.
12.4Editing: Maintaining the Right Voice to Reach Your Audience
Writing Voice Transcript
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You don’t always need SaaS tools to create quality technical communication. There are other techniques and strategies
for helping you create good-quality documentation that sounds appealing to your audience. One technique is to ensure
that the voice of your documentation matches the voice of the organization. Even a technical communicator should
understand well the power of creating and maintaining brand or organizational tone throughout their documentation.
Creating Organizational and Brand Voice for Technical Communications
A technical communicator may also take on other functions besides merely creating technical communication—and may
be better at writing and content creation than someone in the marketing department, for instance, because a technical
communicator’s skill set requires such rigor. A technical communicator will want to understand the industry and
organizational voice in which they are communicating.
Figure 12.13: A technical communicator may take on other functions.
Photo by Artem Podrez via Pexels.
Not only will you want to learn how to instruct your audience using your organization’s voice, you should use the
appropriate tone for each deliverable. Study your organization’s style guide to learn the voice and tone that is expected
of various types of communications that you will be expected to assist with.
Different organizations, as well as different types of communications within those organizations, will use distinct styles of
voice and tone in various types of writing and communication. For example, authors of fictional and certain genres of
nonfiction works use a voice in their writing to pull the storyline or narrative through to the conclusion. Are there aspects
of this style of tone and voice that you could effectively incorporate into your communications?
Marketing and advertising communication also uses a voice that is crafted around the target audience—the consumer.
Usually, an advertising or marketing voice can range from sophisticated to very casual, but rarely is marketing or
advertising communication ever “technical.”
Technical Communication Also Uses a Voice
Figure 12.14: Using too much jargon can sound robotic.
Photo by Maximalfocus via Unsplash.
What does a technical communication voice sound like? Depending on the audience, it can range from teacherly, to
casual, to austere, to a voice that is so dense in technical jargon that it can seem inauthentic or even robotic.
Most technical communication, though it may depend on the genre, uses a more formal voice. The formal voice tends to
avoid marks of casual communication, such as beginning a sentence with a conjunction or using first- or second-person
pronouns.1
Some research shows that while marketing and fictional writing use active voice, many research proposals and scientific
journal publications use more a passive voice.2 Other research suggests that this use of passive voice creates an
impersonal tone3 that may not resonate with many audiences.
Most organizations, in industries ranging from high fashion to farming equipment, have a brand voice—the established
voice of choice that all company communications should generally follow. Internally and externally, the voice used in an
organization may have quite a range of differences. A company that is very fashion-forward for instance, may have quite
friendly external marketing copy, while internally, their HR communications copy or their sales briefings may be quite
rigid and serious.
Striking the balance of personal and impersonal use of voice in technical communication can mean the difference
between reaching or alienating your audience. Remember, written words express technical content just as much as
calculations and data.
Understanding the voice intended for the audience and keeping that consistent throughout the editing process can help
you create a templated way for communicating in different genres—like a style guide that maintains an intended voice
throughout the content.
Maintaining brand voice even in your technical communication can help you streamline the editorial process that could
otherwise become confusing or overwhelming.
12.5Highlights and Main Takeaways
Software as a service (SaaS) solutions have become more common and varied as cloud storage and internet services
have developed and gained popularity. While these solutions can be incredibly helpful and effective, they can present
even more challenges in an organization if they aren’t used effectively.
Figure 12.15: SaaS solutions can be especially useful when working in a communications team.
Photo by Mihail Nilov via Pexels.
SaaS solutions can be especially useful when working in a communications team. Communications teams may have
different focuses, based on directives from chief communication officers; common focuses for communications teams
are corporate-focused, product-focused, and channel-focused. Depending on the focus within your organization, you will
likely use SaaS programs differently to fill different roles and meet different communication needs. SaaS tools like
Canva and Infogram can help the technical communicator convey information visually across many channels and to
many different audiences.
Some effective SaaS programs for technical communication and for collaboration in communication teams include
document-sharing SaaS programs (Microsoft Word 365, Google Docs, Bit.ai, and Dropbox), writing help software
(Grammarly and Hemmingway), and tools for remote collaborative communication (Zoom, Google Meet, Outlook email).
Use these tools to communicate frequently and clearly, ensuring that everyone on the team understands their
responsibilities and how to perform tasks according to the team’s established procedures.
While SaaS tools make creating and editing documentation easier, another effective strategy for creating and editing
technical communications is maintaining the organization’s voice throughout documents. Utilize the organization’s style
guide to know what voice to use as you both create and edit your communications content.
Chapter 13: Special Delivery: Ensuring Proper Delivery of All Communication Assets from Start to
Finish
13.1Getting Heard from Start to Finish
Topic 13 Introduction Transcript
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After all the care to get to delivery, the communication assets must find the right target audience, or all the efforts to create the right
messaging and campaign strategies have failed.
Throughout the course, we’ve talked about the importance of internal and external communications processes and how
they impact one another. From creating employee training manuals to producing digital marketing assets,
communicators often do their work within an interdisciplinary team.
Now that we have reached the end of the course, you will learn how your own communications practices can affect team
performance. Differing perspectives can contribute to the team’s overall communications dynamic. Whether it is one-onone or group collaboration, understanding how to address various communication styles will encourage creative
synergies rather than project roadblocks. Approaching the collaborative process with self-awareness is the first step in
promoting active listening and effective team communication habits.
How Do You and Your Team Work Together?
Figure 13.1: How do you and your team work together?
Photo by Artem Podrez via Pexels.
Do you prefer to work with people who think the same way you do? Is it easier to limit your interactions with those who
always have different opinions? If so, you may be limiting your problem-solving abilities. We don’t always get to pick our
own teams. And even when we do, it is important to choose teams for professional compatibility, not just personality
compatibility; teams that consist of diverse members with wide-ranging ideas and perspectives can produce incredible
results.
In section 2.2, we discussed new ways of working—primarily strategies brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and
the ensuing consequences of making digital technology and software solutions even more ubiquitous in our lives. New
approaches to collaborative teamwork that utilize SaaS solutions and other digital technologies are proving successful at
creating workplace synergy—even while industry disruptions continue.
Theories in organizational behavior are useful in discovering how individuals in teams can best work synergistically.
When the combined strengths of a team are greater than the sum of the team members’ individual strengths, great
things can be accomplished.
Additionally, there is a correlation between having good communication with team members, understanding how to
communicate with them as individuals, understanding how to listen and align your messaging with them, and
understanding how to connect your own technical communications with the relevant audience. When you can
communicate with people of diverse ideas and backgrounds on a team, you likely will also be able to better
communicate with diverse audiences.
Synergy within Teams Requires Emotional Intelligence
Synergistic collaborative teams that create impact and change have a few common traits. There are usually a diversity
of personality styles and cultural, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds on synergistic teams. It is important,
however, to have at least one trait in common within the teams—good communication among team members. Some
research shows that these types of teams succeed because they display emotional intelligence. 1
Figure 13.2: Teams succeed when they display emotional intelligence.
Photo by Antenna via Unsplash.
This same research suggests that there are vital components of emotional intelligence that, when applied, add to
synergy in the workplace. One of the indicators of emotional intelligence within a team is having a knowledge of team
members’ emotions.2 This link suggests that encouraging positive expression of emotions and managing them well in a
team environment can support team synergy, and with that, enhance the creative and collaborative environment of your
organization.
There are several personality tests that can help your team members learn about others on your team and how they
prefer to interact with one another in the workplace. For example, one theory in personality profiling is the Myers-Briggs
personality type indicator.3 This test is based on the personality theories of Carl Jung, a foundational figure in
psychoanalytic theory. Jung observed that some children seemed to be born more “extroverted,” and others more
“introverted.”4
Jung also observed that some children and adults preferred to keep their options wide open, while others preferred tried
and true methods of learning and doing. He also observed that some children were more intuitive and preferred thinking
styles that were more abstract while others seemed to prefer more concrete ideas. Some of those he observed also
tended to prefer a logical style of relating to the world around them while still others were more feeling-centered.5
This personality type indicator can be applied to a variety of settings to consistently show how people with certain
personality types interact with their world and with each other. Because an important aspect of communication and
organizational behavior is understanding group members’ emotions, learning more about those members’ personalities
in a general sense might be helpful to group synergy.6
Consider the article “How to Create a Better Team Using Personality Traits,” which highlights how different Myers-Briggs
personality types can work well together.
Teams that can overcome personality differences and approach one another using emotional intelligence are more likely
to overcome any communication challenges that may arise. Positive emotions on a team are critical to peak
performance and meeting challenges with creativity and sound decision-making.7
Effective Collaboration Requires More than Just Writing Skills
Technical communicators are, at their hearts, writers. As you have learned by now, technical communicators are
rigorous and dedicated writers and are some of the highest paid writers outside of best-selling novelists. However, a
good writer or technical communicator isn’t created in a vacuum. Team collaboration with skilled editors and peerreviewed processes will make a weak technical writer a Goliath—and a very valuable asset to an organization.
Figure 13.3: Technical communicators are writers at their core.
Photo by StartupStockPhotos via Pixabay.
Who are the other supporting team members that make a good technical communicator a great one? And how do these
teams work well creating synergy within a group? Like Myers-Briggs types, in the workplace, we can identify archetypes
or personality types that tend to be good at their jobs. The wrong player on the wrong team, or team members who are
in awkward positions when their strengths may lie elsewhere, could cause a team to fail.
On the other hand, team members who are good fits for their particular roles, based on their interpersonal relating and
work styles, can add to the group dynamics and make the workplace a much more productive and positive place to be.
The Big Five personality traits test is another assessment that organizations often utilize to determine how well certain
groups can succeed based on personality styles and propensities. The Big Five personality test assesses the
personality dimensions of extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. A technical
communications team will consist of varying personality types that exhibit any number of traits that may make it more or
less effective as a team.
A technical communications team of a medium- to large-sized organization often consists of the following team
members:
•
The CCO
•
The Editor in Chief
•
The Project Lead
•
The SME
•
The Researcher
•
The Editor
•
The Creative
One Forbes article suggests there are generally four main types of strong personalities that often show up at work: the
challengers, the implementers, the analyzers, and the collaborators.8 Think about organizations to which you have
belonged. Where do you generally fit in an organization? What personality type, according to the Forbes article, do you
admire most? Would you like to show up differently as a part of a team? If so, how?
No matter the types of personalities that make up your team, there are generally going to be those team members who,
on their off days, show up as rogues, melodramatics, wet blankets, jokesters, hacks, time-wasters, or the like. If a
technical communicator is adept at handling these personalities and can bring out the best in the situation by displaying
empathy for each individual team member, there will be opportunities to provide a positive work environment and model
a professional attitude. By learning how to work in a team and help a team work together, you will make your own
environment a better place for everyone to work.
Modeling Good Team Communication Practices
Figure 13.4: Good team communication practices.
Photo by mohamed_hassan via Pixabay.
Some research shows that because coworkers are interdependent on one another on a regular basis, conflict inevitably
arises.9 However, high-performance teamwork and synergy is created not only when teams show kindness and
empathy toward each other but also when the level of emotional intelligence allows team members to effectively
manage conflict and communicate in transparent ways that promote feelings of safety within the team.10
Conflict in this context can be either affective (related to emotional friction between the parties) in its nature, or cognitive
(related to differences in ideas or opinions between the parties), and it can be either functional or dysfunctional. In a
work context, those conflicts that are affective and dysfunctional in their nature tend to cause the most distress for
working relationships.
On the other hand, functional and cognitive conflict in the workplace can actually serve a positive function at work.
Conflicts like these often contribute to sound decision-making within an organization, when the conflicts are skillfully
navigated.11
13.2Getting Documents Prepared and Ready for Delivery: Working Well with
Your Team
Figure 13.5: Narratives are made up of events.
© Ardea-studio/Adobe Stock
From brainstorming to delivering the content, working in teams is often a necessity for technical communicators. Team
communication can make or break the connections needed to deliver the best results. Mindful media choices can help
manage communication expectations in group work.
Choosing the most appropriate technologies for different types of communications tasks can be a vital step in good team
communication. The right technology can help you accommodate various personality types, keep control of the
conversation, and avoid conflict. Rather than mastering how to use communication software, it is more important to
master the ability to match media—whether it is email, conference call, video call, phone call or text message—with the
communication tasks. These tasks may include taking meeting notes, providing project updates, or designating work
assignments.
This practice of matching the proper medium to the task is one aspect of media synchronicity theory (MST).
Understanding media synchronicity theory can support higher media fit, more frequent communication, higher-quality
group discussion, richer communication, and more open communication.
We’ll apply this theory to the practice of technical communications group work. When working with an array of
personality types, understanding media fit can keep everyone engaged in teamwork. 1
What Is Media Synchronicity Theory (MST)?
Figure 13.6: Media synchronocity.
rawpixel © 123RF.com
Media synchronicity theory suggests that communication and task performance are enhanced when communication
media is selected to support the type of communication that is necessary. In this theory, communication is divided into
two primary processes: conveyance, which is the dissemination of new information, and convergence, which is the
process of mutually agreeing (or disagreeing) on the meaning of the information.
The process of converging (agreeing or disagreeing) on already-familiar information takes less cognitive processing, but
the information needs to be quickly transmitted. The conveyance process, on the other hand, where we are
communicating new information, doesn’t necessarily need to be as quick—but the information requires more cognitive
processing.
Synchronicity is defined as “a shared pattern of coordinated behavior among individuals as they work
together.”2 Synchronicity is determined by five fundamental media capabilities:
•
Transmission velocity—how quickly a message can reach someone
•
Parallelism—the number of simultaneous transmissions that can occur
•
Symbol sets—the ways in which a message can be encoded
•
Rehearsability—the ability to edit a message before sending it
•
Reprocessability—the ability to retrieve a message again after it has been transmitted
Figure 13.7: Apply media awareness to enhance teamwork.
Photo by jmexclusives via Pexels.
In considering media and their specific capabilities, communicating for agreement is more compatible with highsynchronicity media, such as face-to-face, video, or phone conferencing, due to the necessity for speed and parallelism.
It doesn’t take groups long to decide whether they agree or disagree.
In contrast, communicating new information works better with media that support lower synchronicity, such as email or
shared document drives, because it allows recipients to take the necessary time to edit, review, and reprocess the
information. While it seems very straightforward when we are consciously aware of media capabilities, media fit usually
isn’t the first thing we think about when we communicate with our teams.
How can we apply media awareness to enhance teamwork in our own technical communications teams? Here are a few
steps that we can take.
1. Create a team media choice plan.
When teams form, it’s a good practice to discuss communications expectations, goals, commitments, and media
preferences and to document them.
2. Incorporate a media-choice plan for the project manager.
Media choice for the project manager, which could be the technical communicator’s role, can impact that leader’s
relationship with the other team members. Important messages such as deadline reminders should be conveyed
in reprocessable media that team members can access again rather than live communications only; for example,
send the deadline reminders via email rather than phone call. Considerate media choices can also alleviate the
team’s perception that the project manager is demanding, bossy, or unreasonable in their communications.
3. Use the media-fit behavior scale and MST framework to help manage diverse teams.
Different personality types prefer different communication methods. Action-oriented team members prefer
synchronous media such as face-to-face meetings or chat to quickly make decisions, while more analytical
problem solvers prefer slower media communications such as email to allow for processing time. Allowing for
diversity in media can keep some team members from feeling rushed or pressured into decision-making, and it
can provide a happy medium to bring all personality types into agreement.
4. Apply MST to the writing process.
Depending on the team, media choice can help teams write together. A team’s collaboration style can influence
how the team divides work, discusses matters (in real time or asynchronously), and processes and reacts to
content changes.
5. Encourage flexible media use to help alleviate conflict.
To encourage inclusion, media flexibility can help some team members voice their opinion without peer pressure
or judgment. Sometimes, live meetings can be dominated by the more extroverted or outspoken members,
leaving little time for other opinions. Using flexible methods for follow-up can offset these issues in team
dynamics.
13.3Identify and Utilize the Most Appropriate Channel for Publication and
Dissemination
Delivering to the Audience Transcript
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Utilizing the most effective networks, channels, platforms, and mediums for the dissemination of content is as important
as anything else in technical communications.
More than ever before, digital communication and social media provide ample opportunities for improving connectivity in
technical communication for a much broader audience. Once limited to static documentation, technical communication is
now interactive, and audiences are acquiring their learning in digital formats that allow them to learn at their own pace.
Gone are the days that instructional and learning materials provided in analog textbooks and paperback publications
would be considered the most effective way for an audience to learn new information.
The question remains—what are the most effective ways of delivering the technical communication in the digital era?
After all the tedious processes of formulating documentation architecture and following best practices in writing,
researching, constructing, directing your communication to the correct audience, and publishing—how do you connect
your audience to your content? How do you deliver your deliverables?
On a communications team where there is collaboration and content creation, some rules apply. You must connect with
your team by following best practices in editing, collaboration using SaaS platforms, and connecting with the textual and
relational components of the process. Two aspects of the connection between the audience and your content are the
textual connection and the relational connection.
Textual Connectivity
Textual connectivity refers to ways in which the content topics connect to one another, and relational connectivity refers
to ways in which organizations connect communication with their audiences. The organization must maximize the ways
that the audience has access to the textual information—maximizing the textual connectivity of their learning resources.
Textual connectivity is maximized when the technical communication documentation is cataloged in searchable ways
and published to appropriate CRMs, channels, and platforms, utilizing best practices in designerly and hypertext
theories to do so.
Figure 13.8: Textual connectivity improves when information is cataloged in searchable ways.
Photo by geralt via Pexels.
Effective textual connectivity can be created by utilizing SaaS and CMS tools that provide a seamless experience for the
users, so they can easily and organically access the information. Textual connectivity can also be created by utilizing
effective practices in good documentation—such as including visual and textual elements that connect well to the
audience.
Relational Connectivity
Technical communication audiences come from nearly every demographic, and often, these audiences are seeking
instruction—one of the primary purposes of technical communication. In order for an organization to maximize relational
connectivity with the audience, the organization must research which demographic trusts or prefers a certain channel of
communication. Relational connectivity with the audience is also maximized via other content delivery strategies, such
as marketing and advertising.
In technical communication, textual and relational connectivity with the audience are becoming more achievable, thanks
to online databases and cloud sharing programs that allow for information to be constantly updated. Data insights
gleaned through AI are improving the instructional information by providing the creators of the information with audience
insight and feedback in almost real time.
When you find the right way to maximize relational connectivity by (1) following best practices in textual connectivity and
(2) publishing your content to the appropriate channel or platform, then you will have successfully delivered your
technical communication.
Certain Audiences Show More Trust in Certain Channels
Depending on your audience, you will have more success communicating your content through different channels,
because different audiences show more trust in certain channels. For example, one study showed how certain
demographics perceived certain media channels in the context of recieving medical information. In the medical field,
informing the audience about health and medical issues can help them improve their literacy about what it means to be
healthy, what signs and symptoms to look for if they suspect they are not, when and why to get help in a medical
emergency, and when to see a doctor.1
Figure 13.9: Different audiences seek different channels to access medical information.
Photo by Negative Space via Pexels.
This study showed some correlation between health literacy and the types of media channels the audience members
used. Those adults in the study who had low rates of health literacy tended to view social media channels, such as
Twitter and Facebook, as trusted sources of information. On the other hand, those demographics with higher health
literacy tended to view government or religious communication channels as being more trustworthy.2
Based on this research, we can draw some conclusions about which channels audiences go to in order to find
information and which channels they avoid. Making the correct decisions about what channels to use to distribute
information to which audiences is the hard part. This is why artificial intelligence and data insights are becoming more
critical to generating effective technical communications and disseminating them properly.
If you don’t know who your audiences are, you will not know which channels to use to reach them. From e-learning
tools, to FAQs, to technical journal publications, you have many audiences and many channels to choose from. The only
way to know who your audiences are is to gain insights. The best way to gain insights is using analytics software.
Hopefully you will have access to an adept computer scientist who can help you decipher the data. If no computer
scientists are available, the task of deciphering the data will be up to the technical communicators themselves.
13.4How to Integrate Feedback
As a technical communicator, you should be able to use insights and tools to direct your messaging to appropriate
channels and make strategic maneuvers when necessary.
Figure 13.10: Technical communicator.
Photo by mentatdgt via Pexels.
After the first attempt at balancing textual and relational connectivity in our deliverables, we can measure the results
through each channel’s analysis tools. As part of the editing and dissemination processes, it is important to remain open
to experimenting, testing, and adapting our deliverables so that they connect with our audience most effectively.
Obtaining and applying feedback and shifting strategy decisions are continuous and interdisciplinary processes in
technical communications. In these processes, differences in opinion and dissents from group thought should be
considered and taken into serious consideration. Opposing opinions play a necessary part in the group decision-making
process, and often, different ways of approaching problems can lead to innovative and effective solutions.
Shifting Gears and Trying Again—To Delivery and Beyond
Edit, Edit, and Edit Again
Sometimes your communication misses the mark. Sometimes that has everything to do with the technical
communicator, but most of the time, there are either real or perceived issues with the content delivery and how the
content was received (or not received) by the audience that require you and your team members to go back to the
drawing board. Data analytics tools are critical to understanding how to correct for these misses in communication.
Based on audience receptivity or lack thereof, an effective communications team will adapt and change course.
While as a technical communicator you may not be dealing directly with marketing and sales activities, you will often be
required to have an in-depth understanding of how these insights tools are used in sales and project reports that you
create. Additionally, having the skills to interpret analytics and data insights will help you hone your ability to connect
with any audience, be it potential customers, product users, potential investors, or organizational leaders.
Track the Data Using Insights Tools
Good research tells the audience what the data is showing. Effective interpretation of insights tools shows why the data
performed the way it did. Insights tools provided by various media and SaaS platforms will show you how your content
was received and what demographics viewed the content or followed through to purchase (if product purchase is your
end goal).
Figure 13.11: Tracking the data.
Photo by Anna Nekrashevich via Pexels.
Depending on the insights you gain through data analytics tools, you may want to shift gears and repurpose your
communication so that the audience receives it better the next time. Or, you may want to shift the channel or mode of
delivery so that your content reaches your target audience more directly. Alternatively, you may have a great piece of
technical communications content that performed well at one point but is now outdated, and editing the content to bring
it up to date would be the best course of action.
With web-based tracking tools becoming more sophisticated, it is becoming easier to understand how an audience
receives communication and why the audience responds well or poorly to certain content. With this increase in
understanding comes an increase in the need for technical communicators to be able to personalize the message and
its delivery to the target audience as much as possible. This skill is essential to remaining effective and competitive in
the field.
Insight tools can then help you refine who you need to target as your audience and determine better ways to speak to
them—making the editing and decision-making processes less arbitrary and more evidence based.
Useful Insight Tools Software
When it comes to tools for obtaining web-based insights, you have several options to choose from. Here are a few of the
most popular software platforms for obtaining data insights, along with some basic information about how they work.
Google Analytics: Google Analytics easily links up to Google’s search engine tools, so it is an obvious choice when an
organization also pays for ads through Google. Metrics from Google Analytics can be used to determine whether or not
a company is getting a satisfactory return on investment on their Google ads. Google Analytics tools and metrics are
varied, and some of the insights might require a data analyst to understand certain processes.
Heap: Heap is a subscription-based SaaS platform that offers more specific analytics services to product teams and
organizations. If you belong to an organization whose communication style revolves around product-focused
communication, Heap may be specifically useful for your organization.
Heap offers a wealth of information about how to use its software and includes webinars and e-learning tools like ebooks that compare its services with major competitors, such as Google Analytics. The Heap platform is also a great
example of utilizing best technical communication practices to instruct business audiences on the correct use of a
product.
Bing Webmaster Tools: Bing Webmaster Tools is a service that offers many or all of the analytics tools of Google
Analytics. It includes dashboard tools, reporting tools, SEO (search engine optimization) tools, and more.
Basics in Tricky Insights Terminology
To ensure clear understanding of several tricky terms used in web insights, let’s review several of those terms here.
Figure 13.12: Web insights can help you improve your communication with users.
Photo by Burst via Pexels.
User engagement: When users interact with your website and perform basic functions, like clicking links or scrolling
down on a page, the insights will track their activity.
Conversion rates: This metric refers to the number of times users of your website or app complete a defined action or
objective—typically, users who converted from being a site visitor to becoming a client or customer.
Bounce rates: When a user “bounces” from your website, or leaves quickly, specific coding can track where the
majority of your users drop off. If there is some confusing text on the main landing page, or users can’t quickly determine
what value propositions your organization is bringing to the table (what problems you solve), users will likely “bounce”
very quickly.
Traffic sources: The traffic sources tool shows how users discovered your website or online content. These traffic
sources may be organic searches, paid search promotions, websites that link to yours, and other direct traffic channels
like social media links.
Funnels: If you want your users on your website to click a button for an event, you would use a funnel to track how they
came onto the website, API, or application and what route they took. An effective funnel corrals your users to the
desired task—like booking that flight, or buying that ticket to that concert.
Tricks to Understanding Why and How to Use Insights Tools
What do you want to learn from the insights you gain? In section 4.4, we discussed how research reports and proposals
include insights and research using visual data. Often, the insights you obtain will be in graphical format, and you will
want to consider what information you want to obtain and for what purpose you are creating your report. Google
Analytics, which we mentioned earlier, is a commonly used technology that helps you gain insights from a number of
online activities. The following are some tips for using the insights you gain most effectively:
•
Decide what you want your insights to teach you. Determine what data you want to gather and how you
plan to gather it. Conduct research so that you can show in your documentation why the insights show what
they show.
•
Establish what your resources are. Decide how you will obtain data, who will collect it, and who will analyze
it. Dedicate enough time to obtain your insights from the appropriate sources and ensure your team is utilizing
best practices in extracting the appropriate data for the assignment or project you are working on.
•
Determine your methods. How are you collecting your data insights? Are you performing some kind of market
research, and how is that being carried out? Are you using an analytics tool or platform?
•
Know good research practices. To perform good research, as we discussed in section 6.3, are you using a
focus group or some kind of questionnaire?
•
Make plans for the future. What type of technical documentation will you create to publish your data, and
where will you publish it? Have you accounted for the possibility that your first pass at the content missed the
mark? How might you fix the content so that it lands better with your audience, and how can you use insight
tools to guide those edits?
•
Prepare for delivery. What departments and which channels does your communication need to access?
Using the insight tools, what plans will you make about the strategies for finding the right channel for your
particular audience?
Checklist for Publishing
Even when you think you are finished, you likely are not. The process of adjusting content using the insights you gain to
fit the right audience, all using the appropriate channels, is never complete. It is cyclical, and you learn as you go. Follow
this checklist to ensure that your documentation is as prepared as possible before being published. This checklist is very
similar to one found in section 6.1, because the processes are similar across many genres.
1
❏ Do your research to confirm the reason for the insights you need and determine your primary audience(s).
2
❏ Determine which demographic prefers which channel and which insights tools are most appropriate for the type of data you
are gathering.
3
❏ Plan and prepare your visual elements using appropriate software.
4
❏ A/B test your audience to see if what you were saying landed well.
5
❏ Confirm your goals and proposed outcomes and establish expected results using graphic and visual elements to support the
textual elements.
6
❏ Discuss and check your methodology.
7
❏ Discuss and check the budget.
8
❏ Send to your team proofreader and utilize software that can check for basic errors.
9
❏ Implement proofreader(s) feedback and check that the documentation aligns with any other possible channels.
10 ❏ Submit or present your report or findings and follow other protocols such as checking for other internal approvals as
necessary.
As Dr. Seuss, an adept writer and communicator, aptly said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”1
As a technical communicator now more prepared for the rigors in the field, the more you communicate, the more skilled
you will become as a communicator—a competitive player in a dynamic, ever-evolving, and fulfilling career.
13.5Highlights and Main Takeaways
13.13: Consider the best method of delivery for your content.
Photo by Christina Morillo via Pexels.
As a technical communicator, you will often be working in a team. In teams, it is important to create synchronicity so that
your efforts are effective. Synchronicity is essential in both your teams and your content. According to media
synchronicity theory, communication and task performance are enhanced when communication media is selected to
support the type of communication.
When you create some form of communication documentation, it is important to consider delivery options for that
documentation. The options might include one or more of a number of types of documents that we’ve discussed in
previous topics. The important thing is to decide what method would be best for the content you are trying to provide.
Part of deciding what delivery method you should use is considering what will work best with which audiences.
Remember to consider who your audience members are and how you would most likely connect with them the best.
Communication or delivery methods should also be selected to support the type of media being delivered. If your
content has to be printable, you won’t be able to use videos or interactive graphics to convey your message.
If you choose the wrong method of communication or your message does not resonate with your target audience, you
will want to make adjustments to your message and perhaps to your mode of delivery. Review data and feedback
regarding your messaging, then make necessary changes and try again.
Using insights tools and software to discover how you should change your messaging so that it lands well with the
correct audience is key to learning as you go and perfecting your content. This process is part of growing from a
beginner technical writer to an adept technical communicator in an ever-evolving industry.