Process Description

A process is a series of actions, and fundamentally the description of a process is the

description of action. The action may be either one of two types. One type is that in
which attention is focused on the performance of a human being, or possibly a group
of human beings. A simple example is filing a work piece by hand; in a description of
this process, emphasis would fall naturally upon the human skills required. The other
type involves action in which a human operator either is not directly concerned at all,
or inconspicuous. An instance is the functioning of a contactor.

Process description is written to provide the reader with background information on

how a process is or was accomplished. The reader is not expected to complete the
process and does not have to be an “expert” in the field, but does need details to help
understand the complexities of the process. Therefore, process description is often
longer and more detailed than a set of instructions.

Types of Process:

1. Natural Processes Ex: Water Cycle, Cycle of Seasons

2. Biological Processes Ex: Photosynthesis, Process of Digestion

3. Mechanical Processes Ex: How does a car engine work? How does a
refrigerator work?

4. Social Processes Ex: How to get a driving license? How to start a business?

5. Industrial Processes Ex: How is olive oil made? How is paper manufactured?

In describing almost any process, regardless of types there are problems that usually
arises and these are:

1. Adaptation of the description to the reader

Adapting the description to the reader depends, as always, upon an analysis of

the reader’s needs. As in the description of a mechanism, if the reader wishes
to use the description as a practical guide, it becomes necessary for the writer
 to give careful attention to every detail. If the reader is interested only in
acquiring a general knowledge of the principles involved and has no intention of
trying to perform the process or to direct its performance, the writer should
avoid many of the details and emphasize the broad outlines of the process.

2. Overall organization

The fundamental organization of a process description is simple, consisting

merely of an introduction followed by a description of each step in the process
in the order in which they occur. But this simplicity is usually marred by the
necessity of discussing the equipment and the materials used.

3. Use of illustrations

There are basically two ways of incorporating the discussion of equipment and
materials into the description as a whole. One is to lump it all together in a
section near the beginning; the other is to introduce each piece of equipment
and each bit of material as it happens to come up in the explanation of the steps
in the process. The advantage of confining the description of equipment and
materials to a single section near the beginning is that such discussion does not
then interrupt the steps in the action itself. This method is usually practical if
the equipment and materials are not numerous. If they happen to be so
numerous or so complex that the reader might have difficulty in remembering
them, the other method of taking them up as they appear in the process is
preferable. The second method is by far the more common.

A Process description is organized as follows:

Process writing is how something happens or how something is made. The method
used to write about a process is Step-by-Step Approach. That means each
step/phase/stage in a process should be discussed separately following the
sequences/time order.

1. Introduction

The introduction of the description of a process is a comprehensive answer to the

question, “What are you doing?” An answer to the question can be given by answering
still other questions, principally the following:
 1. What is this process?
2. Who performs this process?
3. Why is this process performed?
4. What are chief steps in this process?
5. From what point of view is this process going to be considered in this
discussion?
6. Why is this process being described?

It is not always necessary to answer all six questions, and it is not necessary to answer
them in the order in which they happen to be listed. It will be helpful to consider each
question in turn to get some notion of what is needed to be done.

1. What is this process?

Early in the report readers must be told enough about what the process is, so that,
they can grasp the general idea. The way in which this explanation is given depends
upon how much the readers are presumed to know about the process, as well as upon
the nature of the process itself. “What is this process?” is simply a problem of definition,
and therefore the use of comparison and of generalized description is often particularly
helpful.

2. Who performs this process?

Very often the statement about who performs the process will appear as a natural or
necessary element in some other part of the introduction. Often no statement is
required.

3. Why is this process performed?

It is absolutely necessary that the reader know why the process is performed – what
its purpose is. Sometimes simply explaining what the process is, or defining it, makes
the purpose
clear. Sometimes, however, the purpose of a process may not be clear from a
statement of what it is or how it is performed. Then it is necessary to be quite explicit
in stating its complete purpose.

4. What are the chief steps in this process?

The listing of the chief steps in the process is an important part of the introduction. It
is important because it helps the reader understand the process before the details of
its execution are presented. Even more important is its function in telling the reader
what to expect in the material that follows. It is a transitional device. It prepares the
reader for what lies ahead. The list of steps may appear as a formal list, with a number
or letter standing beside each step. If this method seems too mechanical, the steps
may be stated in ordinary sentence form, with or without numbers or letters. The steps
should be discussed in the order in which they are listed.

5. From what point of view is this process to be discussed? Why is this process being
described?
The latter question calls for a specific statement of purpose – the purpose of including
the description of this process in the report of which it is a part. In other words, readers
will want to know why you are asking them to take time to read your description of
the process. Be careful to keep in mind the distinction between the purpose you have
in writing about it. These are very different matters. The first of the two questions is
likewise related to the matter of purpose, but here the interest is not in why the process
is being described; rather it is in why it is being described in a particular way or from
a given point of view.

2. Equipment and Materials

It refers to a set of tools or other objects commonly used to achieve a particular

objective or is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes to the result
of an output.

3. Step-by-step description of the action

In describing the action, the writer must say everything the readers need to
know to understand, perhaps even to visualize the process. The omission of a
slight detail may be enough to spoil everything. Care should be taken not only
in connection with the details of what is done, but also of how it is done. The
content of the description of a process is governed by the reader’s need to
comprehend every step in the action.

4. Conclusion (if necessary)

References:

https://crewcite.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/description-of-a-process/

https://www.slideshare.net/dalwritingcentre/the-technical-writing-process?next_slideshow=1

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-clinton-technicalwriting/chapter/instructions-process-
descriptions/