To: Nancy Myers

From: Townsend Holubasch

Date: April 21, 2021
Subject: APLED 121-Chapter 14 Summary

CHAPTER 14
Technical Description and Process Analysis

Define Technical Description

• A technical description is a part by part description of the components of
a mechanism, tool, or piece of equipment.
Types of Technical Descriptions
• Operations Manuals
Operations manuals help the end user to construct, operate, and
service the equipment. With technical descriptions of the product.
• Product Demand Specifications
A description of the wants and needs for the capabilities of a
piece of equipment, that one requires. Typically for a piece of
equipment not yet in production.
• Study Reports Provided by Consulting Firms
A technical description written by consulting engineers as an
analysis of product demand specifications.
• Construction Design
A legal technical description typically of property, used for any of
the following; presentation of design for city council or a
homeowner’s association, request for change of zones, request
for special use permit, and re-plating of the site to change of
property line.
• Sales Literature
A sale’s pitch used to describe a product, it’s function, and uses.
Define the Process Analysis
• A process analysis is a description of how an object works.
Examples of Process Analysis
• Engineer: To clarify what type of bridge will best meet your client’s needs
you provide a power point presentation explaining how each bridge
works.
• Automotive Sales: Explaining the process of how gasoline/electric hybrid
cars work to a customer that did not yet understand.
 • Biomedical Technology: You provide a precise analysis of how diabetes
impacts a patient and how an ISLET transplant will work to treat this
disease.
Criteria for Writing Technical Descriptions and Process Analysis
• Title
o Title is meant to precisely state the topic to help the reader best
know what is being discussed.
• Overall Organization
o Proper organization has three parts:
▪ Introduction: Defining your topic and explaining your
topic’s function.
▪ Discussion: Describe each of the mechanism and
components and how they work. Pay special attention to
using good details and word usages while keeping your
description organized.
▪ Conclusion: Finish out by driving home the purpose of your
writing. This can apply to the following:
o Sales
o Guarantees
o Comparison/contrast
o Uses
o Testimony
o Reiteration of introductory comments
• Highlighting Techniques
o Highlights are used to help the reader best understand the
material. Highlights include headings, itemization, and graphics.
o Accompanied with call outs one may also use, line drawing,
schematics, CAD drawings, photographs, clip art, exploded views,
or sectional cut-away.
The Writing Process at Work
• Prewriting
o (A rough outline) Gather data on the topic at hand.
• Writing
o (A rough draft) Draft technical description focusing on overall
organization, highlight, detail, and a graphic.
• Rewriting
o (A final draft) A finished copy after editorial notes.