Introduction to Technical

and Business Writing

What is Technical
Writing?
Taking complicated
subject matter and
transforming it into
easy-to-understand
information for the
reader.

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 Why do we need technical
communication?
• Technical communication serves as a link between
the theoretical and the practical world

• There is a need for transforming complex

information into something understandable

• Technical communicators serve as mediators

between engineers and end-users

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How Writing Makes a Difference ?
• Writing ability is often correlated with a
superior manager’s characteristics.

• The quality of communication has a strong

impact on an idea’s reception.

• Poor proposals and reports mean little or no

future with clients.

• Young engineers who write with clarity and

make logical presentations tend to become
supervisors faster than other engineers.

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 Writing Cycles
Student
Stud Instr
ent uctor

Top
Workplace Mana
geme
Supe Man nt
Engi
rviso ager
neer
r

Refe
ree
Academics Refe
ree
Jour
Rese Publi
nal
arch catio
edito
er n
r

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Why are you studying
this Course?
EXPECTATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Expectations (in order of importance)
#1 Team work – member, leader 
#2 Communication skills 😐
#3 Subject knowledge αβγδξζ
#4 Time management 🕣

Communication
🖋 = Writing
 = Speaking (oral)
🖳 = Computer
📂 = Documentation
 = Web
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 COMMUNICATE – WHY?
 “I want others to appreciate my work”
(supervisor, SRC, prospective examiner, examiner, boss)

 “I want to know what others want”

(looking for job, post-doc, promotion)

 “I want to convince others”

(project funding, job seeking)

^ “I want to sell my idea/product”

^ “I want to publish a lot of good papers”

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 Desired Attributes of Job
Seekers
The two primary attributes young job
applicants need are

• the ability to interact with other people

• basic writing skills.

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What will we study in
Technical Writing?
• Memos and electronic mail (e-mail)—to set
meeting agendas and to ask and answers
questions

• Letters—to sell, complain, hire, fire, ask and

answer questions, and explain the contents of
attachments

• Reports—to report on job-related travel or

incidents, to study options and recommend action,
to report on the progress of ongoing projects,
and to document meeting minutes

• Proposals—to highlight problems, to suggest

solutions, and to recommend action

• Brochures—to sell and inform, using six-to eight-

panel (back and front) foldouts
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• Newsletters—to report on corporate
activities to both employees and stakeholders

• Fliers—to sell and inform, using brief, single-

sided documents

• Resumes—to help you find a job

• Web sites—to sell and inform, using multi

screened, Internet-based, hypertext-linked
communication

• User manuals—to explain the steps in a

procedure

• Technical descriptions—to explain the parts

of a mechanism, tool, piece of equipment, or
product (3) 12
Technical Writing is
done to
• Define and order standard processes
• Ensure critical processes are standardized
• Simplify complexity
• Detail operational necessities
• Highlight and describe risk
• Structure available knowledge in support of
research
• Identify useful content
• Assemble parts into whole
• Coordinate functionalities

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When Should Technical
Writing be Done ?
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• If you want your customers to walk away
from product failures
• If you want to reduce customer calls to
your support desk
• If you want your customers to buy your
product
• If you want each version of your product
to flow smoothly into an established
market

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How can you know when
technical writing is
done well ?
19
How does Technical
Writing Effect a
Corporation ?
 Value to the Corporation
• Well-written and accurate documentation:
– Enhances the customer product experience,
contributing to overall satisfaction

– Part of the customer support strategy,

reducing support costs

– Speeds up customer acceptance of products

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Cost to the Corporation
Poorly written or inaccurate
documentation:
– Contributes to customer frustration
with the product and the company

– Projects a negative image of the

product

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 Importance of
Teamwork in Technical
Writing
“No one person and no one area can solve work
related problems”
Collaboration advantages
• In business and industry, many
technical documents are team
written
• Advantages
• Diversity of opinions
• Checks and Balances
• Broad based understanding
• Empowerment
• Team Building

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Strategies for Successful
Collaboration
• Develop your team
• Choose a team leader
• Determine your team goal
• Identify the problem
• Analyze the problem causes
• Determine Potential Improvements
• Verify the suggested solutions
• Complete the team project

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Most of your work in
this course will be
collaborative !
Lets Revise
 What we discussed
today?
• Introduction to Technical and Business
Writing
• Objectives of this course
• Course contents
• Purpose of Technical Writing
• Impact of Technical Writing on a
Corporation
• Importance of team work in Technical
Writing

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