GENG8000:

Engineering Technical
Communications

Week 1: Introductions, Syllabus,

Expectations

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WELCOME TO ENGINEERING
TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATIONS!

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 Agenda
• Introductions
• Why Technical Communication?
• What is Technical Communication?
• Review of Syllabus

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 Instructor Information
Name: Lindsay Miller-Branovacki, Ph.D.,
P.Eng.
Office: CEI 3013
Office Hours: By appointment.
Phone Number: 519-253-3000 x 5415
Email: ljmiller@uwindsor.ca
(24 hr. response time Mon. - Fri.)

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 WHY TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION?

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Why Technical Communication?
• You WILL use it!
• Communicating effectively will enable you
to share your ideas and advance your
career.
• MIT explains it well: “Engineers who don’t
write well end up working for engineers
who do write well.”
(The MIT Press, 2016)

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Why Technical Communication?

“38 percent of new engineering graduates

across all engineering specialties report the
perception that communication skills are one
of the most important factors impacting their
advancement and success in industry”

Source: Ford, J. D., & Riley, L. A. (2003). Integrating communication and engineering education: A
look at curricula, courses, and support systems. Journal of Engineering Education, 92(4), 325-328. 7
Why Technical Communication?
“I never took “Communications
instruction in technical make the difference
writing, but I wish I between success and
had. It is vital to me in failure”
my job”
“Technical skills are
a given;
communication
skills differentiate”

Source: Reave, L. (2004). Technical communication instruction in engineering schools: A survey of top-ranked
U.S. and Canadian programs. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 18(4), 452-490. 8
Why Technical Communication?
3.1.7 Communication Skills:
CEAB Graduate Attribute
“An ability to communicate complex engineering
concepts within the profession and with society at large.
Such ability includes reading, writing, speaking, and
listening, and the ability to comprehend and write
effective reports and design documentation, and to give
and effectively respond to clear instructions.”
(Engineers Canada, 2015)

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WHAT IS TECHNICAL
COMMUNICATION?

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What Technical Communication
is NOT
• Not opinion-based
• Not focused on the writer
• Not focused on imagination
• Not literary

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 What Is Technical
Communication?

Technical communication is the exchange of

information that helps people interact with
technology, advance workplace goals, and
solve complex problems.

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 What is Technical
Communication?
• Technical communication does not only
refer to writing!
• Presentations, meetings, e-mails, phone
calls, interviews, etc.
• Any means by which we want to convey
information in a technical, professional
manner.

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 Main Features of Technical
Communication
Technical documents typically exhibit the
following characteristics:

• Focus Is on the Reader, Not the Writer

• Document Design Is Efficient and Accessible
• Writing Style Is Clear and Relevant
• Information Is Persuasive, Truthful, and
Based on Research

Source: Gurak, L.J., & Lannon, J.M. (2016). Strategies for Technical 14
Communication in the Workplace. New York, N.Y: Pearson Education, Inc.
 Common Types of Technical
Documents
• Memos
• Emails
• Letters
• Instructions
• Procedures
• Manuals
• Brochures
• Proposals
• Reports
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