Design 2: Web-Native Text
Technical Communication
Adapting technical knowledge needs clarity, precision, and effort. An expert that uses technical words to communicate must be able to translate the information for audiences who may have less knowledge about the technical subject. To be effective in this translation, you should explain information in simplified ways so that non-technical audiences can understand it. Be careful not to mistake simplified with unintelligent. Avoiding jargon and offering explicit details about technical content makes a strong communicator.
An example of using too many technical words to communicate the details of a “Turbo Encabulator” can be seen below [1].
This video shows how using too many technical words can cause confusion and make topics of discussion harder to understand [1].
The Rhetorical Situation
When you are figuring out how to communicate complex information, it is necessary to recognize that all communication needs awareness of the rhetorical situation. We can imagine the rhetorical situation as the “formula” for good communication. The next video below, shows how to use the “formula” [2].
This video explains the different aspects of good communication and how together, they make the Rhetorical Situation [2].
Check your Understanding
Real-Life Example
You are the manager of a project team and everyone in the company uses a software that follows a monthly subscription. There are different versions of the software but right now everyone is using the cheapest version. The project your team is working on would go faster and produce better quality of work if they were using the more expensive version of the software. As the manager, you are responsible for deciding how you would convince the finance team that upgrading to the more expensive software is necessary.
Documenting the Process Clearly and Professionally
It might be obvious to you why it is important to get the software upgrade, but as a non-technical receiver of the request, the finance department may not understand why this upgrade is necessary. For this, the thinking behind your pitch needs to be clearly said in an understandable way.
To do so, it might be a good idea to try and convince yourself before anyone else. You need to analyze this pitch from different points of view so that you can create the most convincing proposal. Think about the points that would be compelling to you as an audience member. These points might positively affect the real audience (the finance team). The finance team are experts in finance but are not experts in the technical workings of the software you’re using for the project.
You need to analyze this pitch from different perspectives so that you can create the most persuasive proposal.
Creating a plan that is supported with evidence is key to ensuring that a project can be reviewed. Taking notes and recording meeting minutes can help keep track of the ideas that come up along the way. Records of meetings can be coll