Technical Communication Essentials: Foundational Communication Strategies for Everyday Writing
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2022
Pages: 96
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2022
Pages: 96
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Technical Communication Essentials: Foundational Communication Strategies for Everyday Writing is divided into three important sections:
- Write to Think
- Build the Foundation
- Document and Deliver
The strategies provided in this book build the foundational skills necessary to be both efficient and effective, the ultimate achievement in technical communication. The text covers why it is important to build your timelines in a way that allows for time away from you are working on, and why it is important review and revise everything, even emails. It also digs into strategies and tools that can help build a space to gain clarity during your workflow.
Technical Communication Essentials will explore the benefits of becoming a communicator in great depth, but the early takeaway is that being a better writer is not just an academic pursuit or something people do if they want to be a novelist. The benefits are far-reaching and apply not only to your chosen career path, but also to your personal life.
Getting Started
- Everyone Is Doing It
- Clarity of Thought
- Efficient + Effective
- What’s Next?
Section 1: Write to Think
Chapter 1: First Principles
What Are First Principles?
First Principles of Writing
First Principles as Guideposts
A Note About Success
Chapter 2: Map Versus Territory
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Structure
Drawing the Map
In Practice
Chapter 3: Perspective Shift
Inversion
Role-Reversal
Second-Order Thinking
Integrating Perspective Shifts Into Your Process
Chapter 4: Simplicity
Occam’s Razor
Pareto Principle
Have a Bias Toward Simplicity
Chapter 5: Thought Experiments + First Drafts
Terrible First Drafts
Thought Experiments
The Five Whys
Final Thoughts on Writing + Critical Thinking
Section 2: Build the Foundation
Chapter 6: Technical Communication Explained
Why Technical Communication Matters
Core Concepts of Technical Communication
Common Types of Technical Communication
Chapter 7: Audience Analysis
Get to Know Your Audience
Audience Analysis
Primary Versus Secondary Audiences
Chapter 8: Purpose + Action
Finding Your Purpose
Call-to-Action
Purpose-Driven Content
Where Audience, Purpose, and Action Intersect
Chapter 9: Technical Communication Frameworks
Competence Framework
Innovation Framework
Cognitive Load Framework
Narrative Framework
Putting Frameworks to Work
Section 3: Document and Deliver
Chapter 10: Document Organization + Design
Principles of Organization
Elements of Organization
Principles of Design
Elements of Design
Putting It All Together
Chapter 11: Research, Documentation, and Summary
The Research Process
The Purpose of Research
Stages of Research
Documenting Your Findings
Finding Relevant Sources
Source Credibility
The Note-Taking Process
Summarizing the Research
Summary Expectations
Chapter 12: Revising + Editing
Iteration
Editing Versus Revising
The Revision Process
Editing Process
Best Practices for Editing, Revising, and Review
Chapter 13: Communicating in the Workplace
Business Writing
Formal Communication
Memos
Reports
Informal Communication
Instant + Text Messaging
Chapter 14: Building Your Application Package
Resumes
Cover Letters
Networking
Interview + Negotiation
Just the Beginning
Appendix: Checklists and Examples
Document Usability
Organization + Design Best Practices
Summary Checklist
Editing Checklist
Resume Checklist
Report Checklist
Guides + Samples
Sample Outline
Image/Graph Labeling Sample