Characteristics of Characteristics of Technical Technical

CommunicationCommunication

Technical Technical CommunicationCommunication

Addresses Particular ReadersAddresses Particular Readers Helps Readers Solve ProblemsHelps Readers Solve Problems Reflects an Organizations Goals and Reflects an Organizations Goals and

CultureCulture Is Produced CollaborativelyIs Produced Collaboratively Uses Design to Increase ReadabilityUses Design to Increase Readability Consists of Words, Graphics or BothConsists of Words, Graphics or Both Is Produced Using High-Tech ToolsIs Produced Using High-Tech Tools

Addresses Particular Addresses Particular ReadersReaders

Establish a profile Establish a profile of your audienceof your audience

Structure the Structure the document to make document to make it easy for this it easy for this particular group to particular group to locate and locate and understand the understand the information they information they seek. seek.

Helps Readers Solve Helps Readers Solve ProblemsProblems

Technical Communication is used for Technical Communication is used for people to analyze a situation and people to analyze a situation and solve a problem. solve a problem.

Example: You read a college catalog Example: You read a college catalog to find out the procedures for to find out the procedures for registration, what is covered in a registration, what is covered in a particular course and requirements particular course and requirements for a major. for a major.

Reflects an Reflects an Organizations Goals and Organizations Goals and

CultureCulture Prince Andrew produces Prince Andrew produces

newsletters, newspapers, classroom newsletters, newspapers, classroom rules and regulations, school rules and regulations, school website, parentwise etc. to reflect website, parentwise etc. to reflect the goals and culture of the school the goals and culture of the school and the students who attend here. and the students who attend here.

Produced Collaboratively Produced Collaboratively

People work as a team to produce People work as a team to produce complicated documents. complicated documents.

Collaboration can take many forms Collaboration can take many forms from having a colleague review your from having a colleague review your two page memo to working with a two page memo to working with a team of a dozen technical team of a dozen technical professionals on a 200 page catalog. professionals on a 200 page catalog.

Uses Design to Increase Uses Design to Increase ReadabilityReadability

Technical Communicators use Technical Communicators use design features to make their design features to make their documents more effective. documents more effective. TypographyTypography SpacingSpacing ColorColor Special PaperSpecial Paper Etc.Etc.

Design Features Have Design Features Have Three Basic PurposesThree Basic Purposes

To make the document look To make the document look attractive and professionalattractive and professional

To help the reader navigate the To help the reader navigate the documentdocument

To help the reader understand the To help the reader understand the document.document.

Consists of Words or Graphics Consists of Words or Graphics or Bothor Both

In technical communication, graphic help In technical communication, graphic help the writer perform five main functions:the writer perform five main functions:

1.1. Make the document more interesting and Make the document more interesting and appealing to readersappealing to readers

2.2. Communicate and reinforce difficult conceptsCommunicate and reinforce difficult concepts

3.3. Communicate instructions and descriptions Communicate instructions and descriptions of objects and processesof objects and processes

4.4. Communicate large amounts of quantifiable Communicate large amounts of quantifiable datadata

5.5. Communicate with nonnative speakers of Communicate with nonnative speakers of EnglishEnglish

Is Produced Using High-Tec Is Produced Using High-Tec ToolsTools

Every phase of the production of Every phase of the production of technical documents involves high-technical documents involves high-tech tools such as the personal tech tools such as the personal computer.computer.

Technical communicators also rely Technical communicators also rely on software such as:on software such as: Word Processing SoftwareWord Processing Software Graphics SoftwareGraphics Software Desktop Publishing SoftwareDesktop Publishing Software

Growth of Technology Growth of Technology

Technology has transformed both the Technology has transformed both the processes we use to produce technical processes we use to produce technical communication and the way we publish it. communication and the way we publish it.

Growth of the web, CD-ROMs and DVD’s Growth of the web, CD-ROMs and DVD’s with their massive storage capabilities with their massive storage capabilities have made it practical to deliver large have made it practical to deliver large quantities of information – including text, quantities of information – including text, sound, video and animation inexpensively. sound, video and animation inexpensively.