Technical Communications Essentials
Course Description
Successfully communicating technical information carries a unique set of challenges. You have to convey complex and highly specialized concepts to audiences that may have only a partial understanding of what you’re talking about (or may not understand at all), and these technical concepts can often have dramatic real-world effects. To operate effectively in this environment, you need to optimize your writing abilities.
In this course, you’ll learn tools and techniques that will help you communicate technical information more clearly, more concisely, and with better outcomes. You’ll use the 6 Cs to improve your writing style, including appropriate tone and voice. Use the Path to Understanding communication model to identify your audience and their needs and to determine how to meet your communication objectives.
You’ll also learn how to assess your audience’s level of technical understanding and tailor your communication to meet it. Additional topics include how to communicate to all levels of the organization; the purpose of jargon — when to use it and when not to; how to use visuals to underscore your written content; and how to write detailed, yet highly readable documentation that can be used by downstream users. You’ll also learn principles for creating documentation for different modalities.
Highlights
- Adjust your writing style to meet the needs of both technical and non-technical audiences
- Use graphics to create impact and enhance readability of technical documents
- Interview technical experts to get the best information for producing technical content
- Write clear, concise, and helpful user guides, FAQs, glossaries, and other technical communication products
Target Audience
Business professionals, IT Project Managers, Project Managers, Project Coordinators, IT Project staff, Business Analysts, System Analysts, IT directors
Course Outline
1. Write a Baseline Email
2. Apply Best Practices
- Business writing
- Business style
- Business writing best practices
- 6 Cs
3. Assess the Audience
- The writing process
- Planning your message
- Setting a communication objective
- Assessing your audience
- The path to understanding
- Analyzing your audience
- Identifying stakeholder needs and preferences
4. Plan the Content
- Planning your message
- Structure
5.?Correct the Language Convention Problems
- Language conventions
- Grammar basics
- Misplaced modifiers
- Punctuation
- Capitalization
6. Build Effective Sentences and Paragraphs
- Structuring sentences
- Transitions
- Structuring paragraphs
- Word choice
- Usage
- Literally
- Meaning and connotation
- Words to use carefully
- Active vs. passive voice
- Bullets vs. numbering
- Trim your writing
7. Write a Product Description
- Product descriptions
- Formatting tips
- Getting past writer's block
8. Explain a Topic to a Lay Audience
- Principles of technical communication
9. Interview for Technical Information
- Writing instructions
- Conducting interviews for technical information
10. Use Graphics Effectively
- Characteristics of good graphics
- Considerations when using graphics
11. Define Terms
- Best practices for defining terms
- Glossaries
- In-line definitions
12. Apply a Style Guide
- Standards
- Style guides
13. Write a Set of FAQs
- FAQs
- Common questions
14. Revisit Your Email Writing Skills
Prerequisites
We highly recommend bringing a laptop to class should you prefer working on your device or bring an external drive if you wish to save the documents completed during the in-class exercises.
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