Chapter 5

Analyzing Your Audience and

Purpose

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 Learning Objectives:

q Define audience analysis.

q Apply techniques for learning about audiences.

q List the characteristics to consider with your

audience.

q Identify the importance of determining your purpose

for writing.

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Understanding Audience and Purpose

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 Big Picture: Projects Need Specifics

Successful project managers respond to their

audiences and have clear, focused purposes.

• Your audience refers to who you are addressing with

your communication.
– Your instructor AND the imagined audience for the
assignment
• Your purpose refers to what you want your document to
accomplish.
– **Refresh from Chapter 1**

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Determining Important Characteristics of
Your Audience

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 Four Key Considerations

• Who are your readers?

– Education, Experiences, Responsibilities, Skills,
Cultures, Preferences
• Why is your audience reading your document?
– Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
• What are your readers’ attitudes and expectations?
– Toward: You, the Subject, the Document
• How will your readers use your document?
– Reading Style, Physical Environment, Digital
Environment

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 Classify Your Audience

1. a primary audience of people

who will use your document in
carrying out their jobs
2. a secondary audience of people
who need to stay aware of
developments in the organization
but who will not directly act on or
respond to your document
– Might use the “CC” feature
3. a tertiary audience of people who
might take an interest in the
subject of the document

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Techniques for Learning About Your
Audience

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 Learn About Your Audience

• Determine what you already know about your

audience.
• Interview people.
• Read about your audience online.
• Search social media for documents your audience has
written.
• Analyze social-media data.

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 Identify Cultural Variables

o Political
o Economic
o Social
o Religious
o Educational
Audiences exist at the intersection
o Technological of numerous, overlapping cultural
o Linguistic variables.

The most successful communicators

acknowledge where the audience
may be positioned.

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 Eight Strategies for Writing

1. Limit your vocabulary.

2. Keep sentences short.
3. Define abbreviations and acronyms in a glossary.
4. Avoid jargon unless you know your readers are familiar
with it.
5. Avoid idioms and slang.
6. Use the active voice whenever possible.
7. Be careful with graphics.
8. Be sure someone from the target culture reviews the
document.

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Big Picture: Tailor Your Communication

Conduct an audience analysis to

ensure you meet your readers’
preferences and needs.

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The PURPOSE of technical communication
is . . .

Technical communication • helping others learn

differs from other genres about a subject, carry
in the focus on out a task, or make a
decision
1. Purpose • influencing attitudes
2. Audience and motivating readers
to take action

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Determining Your Purpose

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Find the Intersection

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 Strong Purpose Verbs

The purpose
statement informs the Authorize
reader about an Define
ACTION the document Outline
fulfills. Review
Analyze
Determine
Propose
Request

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 Revising for Purpose and Audience

Your organization likely has a boilerplate or template for

many communication documents.

Use the boilerplate AND adjust the language, content,

headings, and graphics based on your audience and
purpose analysis.

Obtain approval from management when appropriate.

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