3. • What memories do you have of writing?
• What made writing fun or frightening in the past?
• What have you been taught about writing? What?
• What voluntary writing have you done—journals,
poems, stories, essays? Has this writing been just for
you, or has some of it been shared or published?
• What do you see as your current strengths and
weaknesses in writing skills?
• What skills do you think you’ll need in the future?
• What kinds of writing do you expect to do after you
graduate?
Share Writing Experience
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4. • Technical Writing is communication written for and
about business and industry
• Technical writing focuses on products and services
how to manufacture them, market them, manage
them, deliver them and use them
• Technical writing is composed primarily in the work
environment for supervisors, colleagues,
subordinates, vendors and customers
• As either a professional technical writer, an employee
at a company or a consumer you can expect to write
the following types of correspondence for the
following reasons
Technical Business Writing
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5. Memo and email
To set meeting agendas and to ask and answer questions
Letters
To sell, complain, hire, fire, ask and answer questions
and explain the contents of attachments
Reports
To report on job related travel or incidents, to study
options and recommend action, to report on the progress
of ongoing projects and to document meeting minutes
Proposals
To highlight problems to suggest solutions and to
recommend action with estimated cost
Types of Technical Business Writing
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6. Brochures
To sell and inform using six to eight panel foldouts
Newsletter
To report on corporate activities to both employees and
stakeholders
Fliers
To sell and inform using brief single sided documents
Resumes
To help you find a job
Websites
To sell and inform using multi screened, internet based
hypertext linked communication
Types of Technical Business Writing
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7. Online help screens
To explain inform and define and using drop down
menus and pop ups
User manuals
To explain the steps in a procedure
Technical descriptions
To explain the parts of a mechanism, tool, piece of
equipment or product
Types of Technical Business Writing
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8. Will I really have to write?
Yes. A lot.
Claims that people can get by without writing are flawed.
Claim 1: Secretaries will do all my writing.
Reality: Because of automation and restructuring,
secretaries and administrative assistants are likely
to handle complex tasks such as training, research, and
database management for several managers.
Managers are likely to take care of their own writing, data
entry, and phone calls.
Myths about on-the-job Writing
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9. Claim 2: I’ll use form letters or templates when I need to
write.
Reality: A form letter is a prewritten fill-in-the-blank letter
designed to fit standard situations.
Using a form letter is OK if it’s a good letter. But form
letters cover only routine situations.
The higher you rise, the more frequently you’ll face
situations that aren’t routine and that demand creative
solutions.
Myths about on-the-job Writing
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10. Claim 3: I’m being hired as an ____ [engineer/ software
developer /accountant] not a writer.
Reality: Almost every entry-level professional or
managerial job requires you to write e-mail
messages, speak to small groups, and write paper
documents.
People who do these things well are more likely to be
promoted beyond the entry level.
Myths about on-the-job Writing
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11. Claim 4: I’ll just pick up the phone.
Reality: Important phone calls require follow-up letters,
memos, or e-mail messages.
People in organizations put things in writing to make
themselves visible, to create a record, to convey complex
data, to make things convenient for the reader, to save
money, and to convey their own messages more
effectively.
“If it isn’t in writing,” says a manager at one company,
“it didn’t happen.” Writing is an essential way to make
yourself visible, to let your accomplishments be known.
Myths about on-the-job Writing
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12. The Importance of Communicating Effectively
Getting Jobs You Want
Effective communication will make it possible for you to
design a powerful résumé, compose a persuasive
application letter, interview with poise and confidence,
and get the job you want.
• Gaining Promotions
Moving ahead in your career depends on communicating
your technical competence to others and maintaining
effective relationships with them.
Importance
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13. The Importance of Communicating Effectively
• Providing Leadership
Your ability to motivate and help others achieve rests on
your understanding of human nature and on mastering
communication skills.
Being Productive on the Job
Work performance is enhanced by your ability to
listen effectively, speak clearly, and write competently.
Importance
13
14. The Importance of Communicating Effectively
• Relating Positively to Others
Successful business and personal relationships depend
on mutual trust and respect; communicating ethically,
with concern and compassion, is essential.
• Assuring the Success of Your Organization
Your organization will succeed only if it has the support
of its constituencies—support that comes from
effectively communicating with customers or clients
about the organization’s products or services.
Importance
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15. • Reflects Interpersonal Communication - revealing
something about yourself to your readers
• If you write well - telling that you can think logically
and communicate your thoughts clearly
• If you write poorly - give your readers a completely
different picture as a worker ( show your
incompetency)
Importance
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16. • Time - In addition to serving valuable purpose in the
workplace, technical writing is important because it
requires time
• Across all professions, workers spend nearly one-
third of their time writing (31%)
• Money – Cost of Correspondence
• So it will help to manage both time and money
Importance
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18. In an organization, send and receive messages
- both internal and external to the organizations
Some of these messages are formal; some are informal.
Some messages are work related; others are personal.
Pattern
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19. Organizational communication can flow vertically,
horizontally, or through a network.
In vertical communication, messages flow upward or
downward along a path referred to as the “chain of
command.”
Internal Communication Pattern
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21. Reports and proposals commonly follow an upward path
Policy statements, plans, directives, and instructions
typically follow a downward path.
Horizontal message flow occurs between workers or units
of comparable status who need to share data or
coordinate efforts.
Internal Communication Pattern
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23. Network Communication
Information flows freely among those who have a link that
goes beyond the participants’ role or unit within the
organization.
Internal Communication Pattern
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24. Network Communication
Members’ roles or status within the organization will
generally have the greatest influence in vertical
communication and the least influence in network
communication.
Example of a planned network is a team for project
Personal network – groups of friends, classmates etc.
Internal Communication Pattern
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25. Communication can be formal or informal
FORMAL COMMUNICATION
Business related
It can be:
Written - (memo, report, policy) or
Oral - (speech, meeting)
Internal Communication Pattern
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26. FORMAL COMMUNICATION
Most organizations keep written records of formal oral
communication— copies of speeches, minutes of
meetings.
Formal communication
• Is planned by the organization
• Flows in all directions
• Is essential for the effective operation of the business
Internal Communication Pattern
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27. Informal communication
Sometimes referred to as a grapevine—consists of both
business-related and personal information.
Rumors about company expansion and discussion about
a popular TV show are two examples.
Most informal communication is oral, but widespread use
of e-mail has made informal written communication more
popular.
Internal Communication Pattern
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28. Informal communication
Informal communication
• Is not planned by the organization
• Flows in all directions
• Develops and maintains positive human relationships
Internal Communication Pattern
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29. Serial communication
Usually three individuals involved
In serial communication, messages are usually changed—
sometimes dramatically— as they are sent from one
member of the chain to another.
Because each sender may omit, modify, or add details to
the message as he or she relays it, special precautions
are necessary.
Internal Communication Pattern
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30. Serial communication
Four techniques will assist in maintaining the accuracy of
and achieving understanding with serial communication:
Senders should Receivers should
• Keep the message simple • Take notes
• Request feedback • Repeat the message
Internal Communication Pattern
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31. External Communication Patterns
External communication flows between a business
organization and the entities with which it interacts.
Companies have many external contacts such as
customers, suppliers, competitors, the media,
governmental agencies, and the general public.
External Communication Pattern
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32. External Communication Patterns
Employees represent their organizations both on and off
the job; therefore, they should demonstrate good
communication skills in their professional and social
interactions.
Effective communication enhances both individual and
organizational success.
External Communication Pattern
32
