Quality Writing for Technical Communicators

Why Should You Attend:

Defining technical writing is a tricky proposition, depending on who is doing the asking. For sure, it is the documenting of technical briefings, descriptions, proposals, and reports; however, the level of content and formality of style will vary greatly based on the audience and business needs. Technical communicators must strike a balance between writing to subject-matter experts such as teammates and staff in cross-disciplines, and to less technical executives, internal or external clients, vendors, and regulators. Determining the content and style for diverse audiences can be the greatest challenge that technical writers face. And bad writing is just too costly. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that nearly a third of all workplace writing is to clarify or seek to seek clarification of previously written content.

The program will detail principles and examples of two major styles of technical writing: formal, impersonal and informal, personal. This segment will offer key insights into how to adapt a technical writing style to the reader’s needs. The next part of the webinar will provide tips for writing with clarity, conciseness, and power. Through a display of sentences and paragraphs before and after editing, the rewriting process of technical writing becomes evident. The program concludes with vital pointers on writing summaries, a must skill for technical communicators.

Learning Objectives:

This webinar will enable you to:

• Distinguish between formal and informal technical writing styles as the situation dictates
• Jumpstart the writing process with a structured system
• Create usable checklists to standardize documentation tasks
• Summarize effectively for technical and executive audiences

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• Defining the qualities of effective technical writing
• Employing diverse styles for audiences with specific needs
• Achieving clarity and conciseness in documentation
• Editing for power while maintaining objectivity
• Using checklists to control the content of descriptive, analytical, or persuasive messages
• Summarizing complex, detailed reports and proposals for decision makers
• Collecting technical writing resources for further reference

Who Will Benefit:

This webinar will provide valuable assistance to junior or senior technical communicators in the following disciplines:

• Biotechnology
• Accounting and Taxation
• Environmental Compliance
• Risk Management
• Safety and Quality
• Regulatory Affairs

Instructor Profile:

Philip Vassallo, Ed.D., has designed, delivered, and supervised communication training programs for more than 20,000 executive, managerial, supervisory, administrative, and technical professionals internationally over the past three decades. He is the author of the books: How to Write Fast Under Pressure, The Art of E-Mail Writing, and The Art of On-the-Job Writing. He has edited major reports for the US government, the City of New York, and the corporate world. He also writes the blog Words on the Line, which offers practical tips for developing writers. Dr. Vassallo has taught internationally, and is currently a faculty member of the Beijing International MBA program.

Topic Background:

Technical disciplines require extensive writing to a broad range of audiences, from fellow subject-matter experts concerned with methodology and processes to non-expert decision makers who are interested in cost-benefit analyses and organizational impact. The science-intensive focus of technical disciplines leaves little time for this key segment of the business population to focus on quality writing. But this fact does not change the hard reality that technical communicators spend much of their time drafting and presenting analyses, findings, and recommendations. It is a myth that they don’t need to write well, as effective writing will directly affect their influence within the company.

Follow us :