Communication Communication TechnologyTechnology

What is Technical What is Technical

Communication?Communication? Producing technical Producing technical

communication communication involves creating, involves creating, designing and designing and transmitting technical transmitting technical information so that information so that people understand it people understand it easily and use it easily and use it safely, effectively and safely, effectively and efficiently. efficiently.

What is Technical What is Technical

Communication?Communication? Much of what you Much of what you

read everyday is read everyday is technical technical communication. communication.

1.1. TextbooksTextbooks

2.2. Phone BooksPhone Books

3.3. Procedures Procedures ManualsManuals

4.4. WebsitesWebsites

What is Technical What is Technical

Communication?Communication?

The words and the graphics in these The words and the graphics in these documents are meant to be practical. documents are meant to be practical.

They communication information to help They communication information to help an audience understand a subject or an audience understand a subject or carry out a task. carry out a task.

Example: Example: 1.1. A biology text helps students understand the A biology text helps students understand the

fundamentals of plant and animal biology.fundamentals of plant and animal biology.2.2. A software program describes how to use A software program describes how to use

the program effectively. the program effectively.

Who Produces Technical Who Produces Technical

Communication?Communication?

Most technical communication is Most technical communication is produced by one of two different produced by one of two different categories:categories:

1.1. Technical ProfessionalsTechnical Professionals – engineers, – engineers, scientists, business people and other scientists, business people and other technically trained individuals.technically trained individuals.

2.2. Technical CommunicatorsTechnical Communicators – a person who – a person who creates documents including manuals, creates documents including manuals, proposals, reports, sales literature, websites, proposals, reports, sales literature, websites, letters, journal articles and speeches. letters, journal articles and speeches.

Technical Technical CommunicatorsCommunicators

Employees within Employees within organizationsorganizations

Employees of Employees of companies that companies that offer offer communication communication services to other services to other organizationsorganizations

FreelancersFreelancers

Freelance Freelance

Although most technical communicators Although most technical communicators are employees within organizations, many are employees within organizations, many work as independent contractors – work as independent contractors – sometimes called sometimes called freelancers.freelancers.

Freelancers focus on individual projects Freelancers focus on individual projects that can last a few weeks, months or that can last a few weeks, months or years. years.

These independent contractors can work These independent contractors can work at home, at the clients facility or both. at home, at the clients facility or both.

Technical Communication Technical Communication and Your Careerand Your Career

Your first step in obtaining a position is Your first step in obtaining a position is to write two technical documents.to write two technical documents.

1.1. Application LetterApplication Letter

2.2. ResumeResume• These documents will help an organization These documents will help an organization

decide whether to interview you. decide whether to interview you. • At the interview your oral communication At the interview your oral communication

skills will be evaluated along with your other skills will be evaluated along with your other qualifications. qualifications.

Working World Values Good Working World Values Good Communication SkillsCommunication Skills

Job ads in newspapers and Job ads in newspapers and professional journals suggest that professional journals suggest that the working world values good the working world values good communication skills.communication skills.

The steady growth in continuing-The steady growth in continuing-education courses in technical and education courses in technical and business communication also business communication also reflects the demand for effective reflects the demand for effective communicators. communicators.

Working World Values Good Working World Values Good Communication SkillsCommunication Skills

Organizations are paying to send Organizations are paying to send their professionals back to the their professionals back to the classroom to improve their technical classroom to improve their technical communication skills.communication skills.

The facts of corporate life today are The facts of corporate life today are simple: If you can communicate well, simple: If you can communicate well, you are valuable. If you cannot, you you are valuable. If you cannot, you are must less so. are must less so.