Impact on the Organization

Writing technical procedures can be challenging, even for the experienced technical writer. In order for any organization to function properly, procedures must be clearly written. They need to be accurate, brief, and easy to understand. When written correctly, procedures save time, eliminate frustration, and increase effectiveness. In this series of workshops, participants learn the skills, techniques, and strategies to communicate technical information to their colleagues and customers in a way that is understandable and error-free. By giving employees the skills they need to write and edit these documents, the flow and understanding of information is improved, resulting in increased productivity and satisfied customers.

Technical Writing: Writing Easy-to-Follow Procedures (1 day or 2 half days)
In this workshop, the participants will learn to assess existing procedures and, if necessary, rewrite them for current best practices. Prior to the workshop, participants will receive a document plan template and work-related sample that they will revise during the workshop.

Participants will learn how to:

• Identify users’ technical level, procedure purpose and requirements, required setup or materials, and required graphics.
• Develop a document plan that outlines user tasks, specifications, and graphics.
• Design page layout/format for easy reading and reference.
• Write introductions that concisely state procedure purpose, setup, and user technical ability.
• Write clear steps incorporating notes and graphics and sequence.
• Edit procedures for inconsistent verb usage, numbering errors, and errors in placing warnings and notes.
• Develop troubleshooting guides.

Workshop Benefits

• Avoid common procedural errors that can jeopardize safety practices and quality assurance.
• Ensure procedures comply with regulatory requirements and quality control requirements.
• Improve participants’ writing skills through writing practice and discussion and analysis of sample procedures.

 
Writing Technical Reports (1 or 2 days)
In this course the participants will study how to write about complex subjects in a concise and logical way. They will learn how to communicate clearly without necessarily “dumbing down.” They will develop a report plan that defines report purpose, audience concerns, and reporting requirements. We customize our report writing workshops to focus on the type of reports participants write such as:

• Recommendation reports
• Board reports
• Laboratory and test reports
• White papers
• Status Reports

Participants will learn how to

• Develop a report plan that defines report purpose, audience concerns, and reporting requirements
• Determine readers’ technical level and adapt content to readers’ level
• Write concise executive summaries focusing on project’s business potential, scope, and benefits
• Apply persuasive strategies that address readers’ possible objections and highlights benefits
• Write introductions that explain the report’s purpose, provide concise background information, and preview recommendations or results
• Identify concepts that require clear explanations, descriptions, and definitions and write clear explanations, descriptions, and definitions
• Assess and revise content, organization, paragraphs, and style for clarity, conciseness, and persuasive appeal

Writing Fact Sheets and Specifications (1 day)
A fact sheet is an essential tool used to provide an overview of the topic at hand. In this course the participants will learn how to create informative fact sheets that can stand by themselves or be submitted with press releases. They will be able to identify and write product/service features, functions, and benefits that address customer needs and requirements using jargon-free language.

Participants will learn how to:

• Analyze customer needs and requirements to identify fact sheet/specs content.
• Write descriptive headings and parallel listings.
• Write content that highlights features, functions, and benefits including graphics and tables.
• Develop graphics, screenshots to illustrate steps or equipment parts.
• Coordinate document review with project development, sales, and management to ensure final copy supports the company’s marketing efforts.
• Revise content for clarity and usability.
• Edit and proofread copy using our editing and proofreading checklists.

Workshop Benefits

• Involve technical personnel directly in developing fact sheets and specifications to ensure technical accuracy.
• Provide planning, writing, and reviewing checklists to coordinate efforts among writers, reviewers, designers, and editors.
• Ensure fact sheets and specifications appeal to the target audience and support the company’s marketing efforts.
• Improve participants’ writing skills through writing practice and analysis of sample documents.

 
Editing Technical Documents (1 day or 2 half days)
Whether the task is to describe a simple procedure or producing a user guide, proper editing is often given a cursory attempt. Editing technical documents is a job that must be completed and does not go away. The ultimate goal for any writing task is to produce the most effective and usable documentation for the audience in the least amount of time. Techniques for drafting quickly, effective revision, and clear communications will be covered. We customize this workshop for professionals who need to improve their own documents and editors that edit others’ documents.

Participants will learn how to

• Assess the document’s audience, purpose, and content (assessing content for factual/concrete support, appropriate technical level, and development of ideas) using our assessment worksheet.
• Reorganize content to develop ideas logically and persuasively.
• Revise sections using reading cues—forecasting and summarizing statements, transitions, and concluding statements—to highlight main points and increase readability.
• Rewrite headings to preview contents and create parallel listings.
• Clarify concepts using parenthetical definitions, specific examples, and clear descriptions.
• Assess and redesign layout, graphics, and tables for clarity.
• Rewrite sentences for passive-active voice, jargon-free language, and conciseness.

Workshop Benefits

• Provide writers with an effective revising process that reduces unproductive rewrites and revisions.
• Provide a review and revising process that eliminates style debates among writers, reviewers, and editors.
• Establish document quality requirements that coordinate and streamline revising efforts among writers, reviewers, and editors.
• Provide style sheets and revising and proofreading checklists that help writers, reviewers, and editors quickly assess documents and streamline the publication process.
• Improve participants’ editing skills through editing exercises, document analyses, and discussion on editorial issues.