1. 1 Technical Communication A Reader-Centred Approach First Canadian Edition Paul V. Anderson Kerry Surman www.techcomm.nelson.com

2. 2 Matching Purpose with Communication Chapter 2

3. 3 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Learning Objectives Recognize the importance of defining objectives Recognize the importance of defining objectives Define your usability and persuasive goals for your communication Define your usability and persuasive goals for your communication Describe your readers’ tasks and characteristics Describe your readers’ tasks and characteristics Identify your communication’s stakeholders Identify your communication’s stakeholders

4. 4 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited The Importance of Defining Objectives Determine what your communication must accomplish to be successful Determine what your communication must accomplish to be successful Your objectives will then guide you to Your objectives will then guide you to – Apply a reader-centred approach – Choose a format – Plan a strategy – Develop the elements – Evaluate your communication

5. 5 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Focus on What You Want to Happen While Your Readers are Reading Your communication’s goal is to affect your readers in the ways necessary to bring about the desired change Your communication’s goal is to affect your readers in the ways necessary to bring about the desired change The impact occurs while readers are reading The impact occurs while readers are reading Create a mental portrait of your readers in the act of reading Create a mental portrait of your readers in the act of reading

6. 6 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited See Your Communication in a Reader-Centred Way Analyze your readers’ reading tasks Analyze your readers’ reading tasks Analyze your readers’ attitudes Analyze your readers’ attitudes Identify your readers’ characteristics Identify your readers’ characteristics Study the context in which your readers will read Study the context in which your readers will read

7. 7 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Define Your Usability Goal Make your communication usable Make your communication usable – Easy for readers to use your communication to perform their tasks Identify your readers’ tasks Identify your readers’ tasks

8. 8 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify Your Readers’ Tasks Identify your readers’ purpose for reading Identify your readers’ purpose for reading Identify the information your readers want from your communication Identify the information your readers want from your communication Determine how your readers will look for this information Determine how your readers will look for this information Determine how they will use the information while reading Determine how they will use the information while reading

9. 9 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify Your Reader’s Purpose for Reading They will try to gain information they can use in some practical way They will try to gain information they can use in some practical way – Manager needs to make a decision – Programmer needs to solve a problem Readers need to locate and use information to achieve their purpose Readers need to locate and use information to achieve their purpose

10. 10 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify the Information Your Readers Want Imagine the questions your readers have in mind as they read your communication Imagine the questions your readers have in mind as they read your communication Readers’ questions are determined by their purpose in reading Readers’ questions are determined by their purpose in reading

11. 11 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Determine How Your Readers Will Look for Information Thorough, sequential reading Thorough, sequential reading Selective reading Selective reading Reference reading Reference reading

12. 12 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Determining How Your Readers Will Use the Information While Reading To compare alternatives To compare alternatives To determine how the information will affect them and their organization To determine how the information will affect them and their organization To perform a procedure To perform a procedure

13. 13 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Define Your Persuasive Goal Analyze your readers’ attitudes Analyze your readers’ attitudes Readers’ attitudes focus on subject matter, you, your department, your organization, and the communication itself Readers’ attitudes focus on subject matter, you, your department, your organization, and the communication itself – See Figure 2.1, page 28

14. 14 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify your Readers’ Characteristics Professional specialty Professional specialty Organizational role Organizational role Familiarity with your topic Familiarity with your topic Knowledge of your specialty Knowledge of your specialty Relationship with you Relationship with you Personal preferences Personal preferences Cultural background Cultural background Special characteristics Special characteristics

15. 15 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Organizational Roles Roles Roles – Decision makers – Advisers – Implementers Each role leads to a different set of questions Each role leads to a different set of questions

16. 16 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Typical Questions Asked by Decision Makers What are your conclusions? What are your conclusions? What do you recommend? What do you recommend? What will happen? What will happen?

17. 17 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Typical Questions Asked by Advisers Did you use a reasonable method? Did you use a reasonable method? Do your data support your conclusions? Do your data support your conclusions? Have your overlooked anything important? Have your overlooked anything important? If your recommendation is followed, what will be the effect(s)? If your recommendation is followed, what will be the effect(s)? What kinds of problems are likely to arise? What kinds of problems are likely to arise?

18. 18 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Typical Questions Asked by Implementers What do you want me to do? What do you want me to do? What is the purpose of the actions you are asking me to perform? What is the purpose of the actions you are asking me to perform? How much freedom do I have in deciding how to do this? How much freedom do I have in deciding how to do this? When must I complete this task? When must I complete this task?

19. 19 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Study the Context in which Your Readers Will Read Recent events related to your topic Recent events related to your topic Relationships Relationships – Interpersonal – Interdepartmental – Intraorganizational

20. 20 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Ask Others to Help You Understand Your Readers and Their Context Your actual readers Your actual readers Your manager Your manager Your coworkers Your coworkers Experienced employees Experienced employees

21. 21 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Learn Who All Your Readers Will Be Phantom readers Phantom readers Future readers Future readers Complex audiences Complex audiences

22. 22 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Identify Any Constraints on the Way You Write Expectations Expectations Regulations Regulations Publications Publications Style guides Style guides

23. 23 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Ethics Guideline: Identify Your Communication’s Stakeholders Use a process strategy for ethical writing Use a process strategy for ethical writing Identify readers and stakeholders Identify readers and stakeholders Stakeholders can be affected Stakeholders can be affected – Directly – Indirectly – Remotely

24. 24 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Expertise in Action Consider the example of Amber Consider the example of Amber – Works for the Winnipeg office of a non-profit organization whose volunteers provide Braille translations – Completed worksheet for defining objectives shown in Figure 2.2, page 36

25. 25 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Reference Guide: Six Patterns for Organizing Ways to organize your information and arguments Ways to organize your information and arguments Brief communication might only use one Brief communication might only use one Longer communications might use multiple patterns Longer communications might use multiple patterns Pattern of organization depends on how you have defined your objectives Pattern of organization depends on how you have defined your objectives

26. 26 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Six Patterns for Organizing Classification Classification Description of an object Description of an object Description of a process Description of a process Comparison Comparison Cause and effect Cause and effect Problem and solution Problem and solution

27. 27 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Classification Groups your facts Groups your facts Formal classification Formal classification – Use objective characteristic – See Figure PO.1, page 43 Informal classification Informal classification – Does not use objective characteristic – See Figure PO.2, page 45

28. 28 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Description of An Object Divides your subject into its major components Divides your subject into its major components Partitioning Partitioning – By location – By function May required extended description May required extended description – See Figure PO.3, page 48

29. 29 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Description of a Process Explains the relationship of events over time Explains the relationship of events over time Segmentation Segmentation – Time – Purpose See instructions in Figure PO.4, page 51 See instructions in Figure PO.4, page 51 See explanation in Figure PO.5, page 52 See explanation in Figure PO.5, page 52 – Tools

30. 30 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Comparison Compares two or more things Compares two or more things Include a description of the criteria Include a description of the criteria Include an overview of the alternatives Include an overview of the alternatives – See Figure PO.6, page 55 Use patterns Use patterns – Alternating – Divided

31. 31 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Cause and Effect Helps your readers understand the cause or consequences of some action or event Helps your readers understand the cause or consequences of some action or event May also persuade your readers May also persuade your readers – See Figure PO.7, page 57

32. 32 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Problem and Solution Describes problem solved in the past Describes problem solved in the past May also persuade readers of how to solve a problem in the future May also persuade readers of how to solve a problem in the future – See Figure PO.8, page 60

33. 33 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited Combinations of Patterns Longer communications use combination of six patterns Longer communications use combination of six patterns Communication may have one pattern for overall structure Communication may have one pattern for overall structure Parts within communication may use various patterns, depending on aims of parts Parts within communication may use various patterns, depending on aims of parts – See Figure PO.9, page 61

34. 34 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited In Summary Define the objectives of your communication to make it successful Define the objectives of your communication to make it successful Use a pattern of organization based on these objectives Use a pattern of organization based on these objectives Clarify your readers’ tasks and characteristics in a reader-centred approach Clarify your readers’ tasks and characteristics in a reader-centred approach Identify your communication’s stakeholders for ethical writing Identify your communication’s stakeholders for ethical writing