Notice the difference

 Notice by a Literature student

 To allow the flames to dance, press the smooth, black
button, and allow the warmth to radiate through your body.
 Same notice by a Technical Writer
 ‘Push in the black ‘on’ button, and step back quickly so
the flames don’t burn you’
Characteristics of Technical Communication
Exercise
The following instructions were left behind to a Babysitter to take
care of the baby.

“ Sally has a hard time falling asleep, so it’s best if you rock her
gently for a few minutes in a dark room while humming her
favourite lullaby. Once she starts to drift off, carefully slip her into
the bed without making any noises and tiptoe out of the room.”

Rewrite like a Technical Writer.

Exercise
Compare your answer with this one:

•To help a child fall asleep quickly,

•turn off the lights,
•rock the child,
•put the child in the bed,
•then leave quietly.
 Learnings from Exercise

•Notice the language of the technical writer.

•Very clear and objective

•The writer is providing precise information to the Babysitter

•to understand
•to be able to do her work efficiently
 Technical writing is all about

With everything you write, your audience should be able to

find what they need understand what they find use that information for their needs
Technical Communication -introduction

https://youtu.be/Fi5eZ2XLJc4
https://youtu.be/qnnkAWP55Ww

GoogleTechnical communicators
Technical writing examples

Technical writing examples to inspire you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez_bvYvfa_E
 Employees and Technical Communication

• Problem is most employees do not know and have not

been trained on the basic characteristics of Technical
Communication.
• Messages are expressed poorly and not effectively and
efficiently
• resulting in duplication of work,
• miscommunication and
• big losses for companies
 Employees and Technical Communication

• How to prevent them?

• Employees should know the important Traits of Technical
Communication and understand them.
Technical Communication

Important Traits of Technical Writing (CAPS)

• Characteristics of subject
• Audience
• Purpose
• Style
 Characteristics of Subject

Subjects based on Products and Services –why they are needed,

how to create them and how to use them:

•New medicine –how it will be developed

•New toy –how it will be manufactured or how to play with it
•New cell phone –describing features and how to use
•LED TV –how to connect and use
•Printer –how to connect and use, how to remove paper jams
•And so
 Characteristics of Subject
Creative Writing to communicate Technical Writing to communicate

Subject: anything Subject: products and services related

to businesses
Audience: general Audience: targeted usually by subject

Purpose: to entertain Purpose: to inform, to instruct, to

direct or to persuade
Style: long sentences, connotative Style: simple, easy to understand
words, adjectives, adverbs, expressive language, short sentences
language
 Audiences of Technical Communication

• Most important focus

• Audience is specific and targeted
• Wrong audience, wrong results
Audiences of Technical Communication

Imagine you bought a new bookshelf.

You open and try to assemble the bookshelf using the directions
given.
But you find directions written for the manufacturer on how
to manufacture the bookshelf.
Then how do you assemble the bookshelf?
Message of Technical Communication must be directed to the
right audience.
 Purpose of Technical Communication
Purpose of Technical Communication is
 not to entertain
 not to express author’s feelings or opinions
 not to be subjective
But
 To inform
 To instruct
 To direct
 To persuade
 To help the target audience by explaining what they need to do and how
to do
 Style of Technical Communication

Style of writing must be simple and easy to understand

Style must be (A, B, C of Technical Communication)
• Attractive
• Brief
• Clear
 Style of Technical Communication

• Attractive does not mean document has to look pretty

• Layout must be neat and attractive
• Headings must be distinct
• Pay attention to choice of fonts - fonts family, size of fonts, mixing of
fonts
• Add visual aids, graphics to highlight, make impact
 Style of Technical Communication

Brief does not mean documents cannot be long

◦ Use short sentences

◦ Use short paragraphs
◦ Concise wordings to the point
◦ Use formal language
 Five Components of Technical Writing

1. Development
2. Grammar
3. Organisation
4. Style
5. Document Design
 Five Components of Technical Writing
Components Technical Writing

1. Development Uses data, research, examples, testimonies

2. Grammar Extremely important. Grammar errors show up more in bullet points, short
sentences, short paragraphs. Miscommunication, poor messages due to poor
grammar usage can result in loss of time and money. Language accuracy is not
only important but essential.
3. Organisation Organisation of communication rely on subject lines, bullet points, headings,
sub-headings, short sentences, short paragraphs of 3 to 4 sentences. Less or no
importance to conventional topic sentence, transitional words, etc.

4. Style Relies on denotative words, short, brief messages, graphs, diagrams, etc.
Objective is not to waste the time of the audience, but to accomplish the task
quickly and efficiently. Brief and concise.
5. Document design Has to be clear, highlighting through proper use of fonts, white spaces, layout,
graphics, visual appeal to make the audience understand, access the data and
instructions.
 Five Traits of Technical Writing

1. Clarity
2. Conciseness
3. Accessible Document Design
4. Audience Recognition
5. Accuracy