Technical Communications

1. Technical Communications An Overview

2. Technical Communications • What is technical communication? • Why should I care? • How does technical communication relate to my job? • How is technical communication different from other communication? • What are characteristics of technical communication? • What jobs are available to those with technical communications skill? • What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill?

3. What is Technical Communication? • Applied communication designed to accomplish specific tasks or to help solve problems, such as: • Informing users about an update in computer software • Instructing assembly line workers to produce a new product • Warning customers about unsafe ways to operate a machine • Instructing buyers how to assemble a bicycle

4. What is Technical Communication? • Communication that conveys complex information in an easy-to-understand manner, often to inexperienced users, on topics such as: • Repairing a copy machine • Selecting a home computer • Operating a digital camera • Creating handmade ceramics • Assembling a kite

5. What is Technical Communication? • Technical communication exists in many forms: • User manuals • Training materials • Videotapes • Satellite broadcasts • Workshop outlines and handouts • Reports • Interviews • Persuasive speeches

6. Why Should I Care? • Even if you don’t plan to become a professional communicator, you will be, or already are, a technical professional who communicates! • Studies show that 44% of your professional time will be spent in some kind of writing activity, including: • Brainstorming • Notetaking • Organizational planning • Drafting, revising and editing

7. Why Should I Care? • The California Employment Development Department expects the number of technical writing jobs to grow 23.3% between 2002 and 2012 • Whatever your particular technical profession, you will spend a significant part of your time communicating, even more than you spend in school

8. Why Should I Care? • Technical communication skills can be used in a variety of fields • Journalism • Marketing • Business Management • Administration • Software Engineering • Education • Biotech/Pharmaceuticals

9. How Does It Relate to My Job? • Engineers are often responsible for writing feasibility studies for such technological changes as: • New buildings • Electrical systems • Computer networks

10. How Does it Relate to My Job? • If your goal is to manage the technical products division of an industrial corporation, you will use: • Written specifications • Lectures • Videotapes • These items will then teach: • Technicians to install products • Sales people to sell products • Customers to use and adapt those products

11. How Is Technical Communication different from other Communication? • Technical communication emphasizes conveying information so it can be understood quickly/easily • It differs from other types of communication in its emphasis on clarity, accuracy, conciseness, consistency, readability, and usability • Technical communication is usually put to some use rather than enjoyed for its own sake • Individual voice, poetic expression, and metaphorical language are generally de-emphasized, discouraged, or entirely eliminated • The purpose of communication is to instruct, not showcase the beauty of language or impress with extensive vocabulary • Technical communication explains how to accomplish a variety of tasks, some extremely dangerous with grave consequences for mistakes

12. How Is Technical Communication different from other Communication? • Technical communication is a collaborative effort, unlike most other types of writing • Various individuals work together to create one technical document: • writers • editors • technical experts • graphic artists • You can rarely claim full authorship of any document • The company’s name, rather than yours, usually appears on the final product

13. How Is Technical Communication different from other Communication? • Technical communication represents a company’s image, brand, practices, and goals • The manner of communication accomplishes several purposes: • Conveys how a company is perceived • Conveys a generally accepted image of what a company "stands for" • Suggests a mental picture to the public • Reinforces the company’s brand image or equity in the marketplace

14. What are Characteristics of Technical Communication? • Reader-Based Orientation • Focus on Subject • Corporate Representation • Collaboration • Style • Organization • Visual Display

15. Characteristics include… • Reader-Based Orientation • Write and design NOT from the point of view of what you know, but from what inexperienced users NEED to know • Focus on Subject • The main subject or topic determines the kind of information you write and the form it takes • Focus on subject because your purpose is to instruct or describe rather than to evoke images or emotions

16. Characteristics include… • Corporate Representation • When you create documents at work, you create them as a representative of the company that hired you • Communication within some companies must reflect corporate images and philosophy in regards to safety, outreach to the public, environmental awareness, etc. • You must follow the company style guide consistently and precisely

17. Characteristics include… • Collaboration • Different people possess different skills, education, experience, or special knowledge • The most effective documents are often produced by collaborative groups or teams • For example, a computer manual might require input from: • Software developer • Systems analyst • Technical communicator • Document manager • Graphics specialist • One person cannot know it all!

18. Characteristics include… • Style • Use terminology, language, and organization the reader can understand and readily identify with. • Communicate directly, personally and in a complete, no-nonsense manner • Avoid being overly formal and distant from your reader • Use “you” to talk to the reader rather than writing in passive voice • Your document should be “task-oriented” to help the reader do something, rather than merely descriptive • Follow the company style guide in every detail to ensure consistency of voice, style, and conventions

19. Characteristics include… • Organization • Use deductive organization – reveal your conclusions up front and then demonstrate how you reached them • Give readers a preview of what’s to come so they can scan a document quickly to get the information they need • Present information in a way that will be logical to a beginner. • Break the whole into parts • Separate out tasks the user must do chronologically

20. Characteristics include… • Visual Display • Readers rely on visual cues to process information • Use visual displays to group information into different units • Groups are often separated by white space, bullets or numbers • Use visual displays to order groups hierarchically to convey order and importance • Filter information by differences and similarities • Readers will visually abstract the purpose of the elements in a document based on its relationship to the entire document

21. What jobs are available to those with technical communications skill? • Summary of Technical Writing Opportunities • Jobs are not industry specific • One job fits many industries • Many industries use the same skills • Multi-Industry Positions • Copy writer, marketer • Web content writer • Technical editor • Grant writer 21

22. What jobs are available to those with technical communications skill? • Multi-Industry Writing Skills • Business plans • Proposals • Progress reports • Instructions • User’s guides • Organizational policies and procedures • Abstracts • Oral presentations 22

23. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • High-tech • Examples of high-tech writing jobs • Technical director or supervisor • Technical writer • Technical editor • Technical translator • Marcomm • Duties could include • Develop standard documentation methods • Create and/or edit user guides or marketing materials • Oversee internal processes and documentation • Administer overall goals and policies for TWRT department 23

24. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Previous experience writers may need • Software programming languages • Publishing software applications • Hardware expertise • Graphic design • Desktop publishing • Average compensation for high-tech technical writing positions • $55,444-$141,799 24

25. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Aerospace and Defense • Examples of aerospace and defense jobs • Contract and RFP writer • Reporter and analyst • Grant writer • Technical writer • Duties could include • Writing manuals and procedures • Acquiring contracts • Scheduling • Documenting research and test findings 25

26. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Examples of aerospace and defense industries • Commercial aviation • Boeing Co. • Defense • NASA • Raytheon • Halliburton • Lockheed Martin • Average compensation for aerospace and defense technical writers • Average salary or staff position • $57,000-$90,000 26

27. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Pharmaceutical and biotech • Examples of pharmaceutical and biotech jobs • Product development • Clinical trial writer • Duties could include • Document quality control procedures • Develop and document procedures for FDS regulatory compliance • Develop and document facilities management and manufacturing processes 27

28. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Previous experience writers may need • Medical or scientific research • Lab procedures • Pharmaceutical manufacturing • Average compensation for pharmaceutical and biotech writers • Average salary for staff position • $53,000-$90,000 • Average payment for freelance positions • $35-$100+/hour 28

29. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Media Jobs • Examples of media jobs • Editors • Journalists, news reporters, and correspondents • Advertising, marketing, and public relations specialists • Web designers • Duties could include • Generating stories and leads • Editing articles, scripts, and other copy • Maintaining strategic relationships through written communication • Planning the aesthetics of a magazine spread or Webpage

30. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Average compensation for media jobs • Communications editor • $64,000 • Journalists, news reporters, and correspondents • From $39,000-$63,000 • Advertising, marketing, and public relations specialists • From $60,000-$96,000 • Web designers • $80,000

31. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Agriculture • Examples of agriculture jobs • Technical background reports writer • RFP writer • Statistics analysis writer • Duties could include • Documenting procedures and practices • Writing technical manuals for equipment • Developing quality standards to government specifications 31

32. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Agriculture industry facts • Agriculture is the world’s largest industry • Agriculture industry makes up 40% of world labor force • Major players in the agriculture industry are: • US Government Department of Agriculture • Agribusiness firms like Archer Daniels Midland • Biotech organizations like Monsanto • Average compensation for agriculture technical writers • Average salary for staff position for private sector • $45,000-$88,000 • Average salary for staff position for government job • $43,000-$93,000 32

33. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Administrative assistant • Online content writer • Event planner • Non-profit • Examples of non-profit jobs • Grant writers • Contract/budget analyst • Project coordinator • Duties could include • Writing internal management guides • Writing newsletters and press releases • Designing brochures and flyers • Writing case statements • Writing funder and board reports 33

34. What industries hire individuals with technical communications skill? • Average compensation for non-profit technical writers • Average salary for a staff position: • From $37,000 to $53,000 • Average payment per freelance project • From $25-$35/hour to $60-$100+/hour • $2,000-$14,000+ per project • Percentage commission 34

35. References for Salary Information idealist.org indeed.com and multiple job listing Websites CIA World Fact Book monster.com 35