Usability Memo

To: Professor Beard

From: Carl Wesneski
Subject: Rhetorical Analysis on “Trout by Fly”
Date: September 11, 2023

Summary

This memo is a rhetorical analysis of the document "Trout by Fly," published by the
Pennsylvania League of Angling Youth (PLAY). "Trout by Fly" is an instructional document
serving as a guide on how to catch trout using a fly rod. It covers the equipment needed, fishing
techniques, habitat, and how to cast. This analysis will evaluate the document based on how well
it does the following: uses design to increase readability, reflects PLAY’s goals and culture,
addresses particular readers, helps readers solve problems, is produced collaboratively, and
consists of words or images.

Organization Goals and Collaboration

PLAY, as an organization, values educating youth on the art of fishing. Encouraging young
people to get out and fish is their primary goal. This aim is shown through the author's use of
imagery and detailed descriptions. While it is acknowledged that fly fishing is "hard," PLAY
makes the information easy to learn through these means. The document's introduction also
emphasizes having "fun," which illustrates the organization's goal of getting young people
outside and fishing. Although this document is targeted towards fly fishing specifically, it is
evident that the organization is not solely focused on this. One can infer that they have many
articles that educate their readers on many different fishing-related topics.

The document is produced collaboratively. On the last page, there are acknowledgments as to
who was involved in the final product. The roles include titles such as producer, writer, editor,
designer/illustrator, and photographer. These roles emphasize the collective nature of the
document's creation. Multiple hyperlinks direct the audience to other pages with additional
sources of information. For instance, at the bottom of page 6, readers can “learn more about fly
fishing” through a website link.

Target Audience and Problem Solving

The document effectively reaches its target audience of young anglers interested in learning how
to fly fish for trout. Although the text does not explicitly state it is intended for young children,
this purpose is evident through the illustrations and child-like typography. For instance, page 3
shows a photo of a young girl learning how to fish. This audience would find the document
helpful at two stages. First, before fishing, as an introduction to the tools and techniques that will
be used. This writing is information-heavy and should be read and practiced before any fishing
activities. This approach allows new anglers to begin the actual task of fishing with confidence.
Second, the document is helpful as a reference to be used while fishing. With any challenges or
uncertainties that may arise, “Trout by Fly” will serve as guidance and as a reference for
troubleshooting.

The primary objective of the document is to solve the problems and challenges faced by
individuals interested in catching trout. This goal is made clear when the author states on the first
page, "This knowledge will help you catch more trout." The information inside serves as a guide
to completing this goal, providing detailed information and instructions for trout fishing. The
reader understands fly-fishing basics comprehensively through the included sections on
necessary equipment, fishing techniques, how to cast, and where trout live. However, this wealth
of information may be too much. There are many equipment names and definitions, as well as
multiple methods of fishing techniques. As the document is targeted towards young children, all
of this information has the potential to overwhelm the reader.

Design

"Trout by Fly" has a colorful and engaging design, making the writing more appealing to the
target audience. The author uses both writing and images to create a child-friendly document.
Notably, each header and sub-header uses a bold and child-like typography. This font choice
effectively separates each topic within the writing and improves readability. Moreover, the
document employs a colorful design with graphics that reinforce its content. For example, page
two describes the equipment that makes up a fly rod. Below this is an image of said equipment,
labeled to show names and where it goes. This concept is repeated multiple times in the writing,
allowing the reader to conceptualize the content effectively.

Recommendations

“Trout by Fly” has room for improvement. The abundance of information present in the
document could become overwhelming for some of the young audience. A potential solution is
breaking the writing into separate documents. For example, the section labeled “Techniques.”
Here, the author details three different fishing techniques. Removing this section and adding a
hyperlink to a document that covers this information would improve readability. This change
would lessen some of the burden on the reader, who is tasked with remembering the information.
Additionally, there is no mention of knot-tying in this writing. Assuming the audience has no
knowledge of fly fishing for trout, they would be unable to do so without a section explaining
how to tie knots. Providing step-by-step instructions and accompanying graphics would be
valuable in this endeavor.

Conclusion
The document as a whole does an adequate job of introducing a young audience to fly fishing for
trout. The author successfully utilized images and design to engage the reader and improve
readability. Furthermore, the many definitions made any use of jargon or technical terms in the
writing easy to understand. However, there are improvements. Breaking the information into
multiple documents would enhance readability. Additionally, the document would benefit from
including a knot-tying section.