Effective Business Writing and Communications

Archive for the ‘Role of the Audience’ Category

1. High-Tech Readers

These are experts in the field being written about, your peers, and people who work in a similar job but at a different company. You would not need to include background as experts would know what the purpose of the document is. Detailed descriptions are not required, nor would you need to include explanations and definitions.

2. Low-Tech Readers

This audience includes subordinates, co-workers from a different department, and colleagues who are unfamiliar with equipment or procedures. Bosses who have not worked with the new technology may also be included. They will require more substantial details as well as definitions of abbreviations, acronyms and unfamiliar terms. Since this audience is not familiar with your field of expertise, you will need to include some background information. Why you are writing this document, what you hope to accomplish with it, and some past history.

3. Lay-Persons

This audience has no knowledge about your field of expertise and will need background information, extensive details and explanations. Abbreviations and acronyms will need definitions. Avoid high-tech terms or define them thoroughly. Write concisely and with clarity. Use simple graphics wherever necessary.

4. Multiple Audience

This audience includes the high-tech, low-tech and lay people. You will basically writing in low-tech mode but will need to include a  separate background page and a glossary that the high-tech and some low-tech people can skip, but that the lay people will find useful and even necessary in order to understand what you are trying to convey with your document.

Some things to consider in written communication are: Who is the audience? What does the audience know or not know? How broad is the communication? What diversity concerns should be considered? The answers to these questions will provide a writer with the ability to create a professional, neutral and inoffensive written communication. Tone is a key element to bring exclamation, warning and evenness to the written communication. Content is the heart of the communication. All of the previous elements set the stage for the actual content in its delivery. If all of the characteristics of effective communication are applied the audience will have a clear, concise and effective document.

Effective written communication can be characterized by knowing ones audience, avoiding language that is sexist, ageist and prejudiced, and an awareness of cross culturalism.

Knowing who you will be writing to is important as it will determine the language you use. You would not use high-tech language with an audience of people who are not knowledgeable in that area. You would avoid using acronyms without spelling out what those acronyms mean, and you would also need to define unfamiliar terms.

Using words that can be construed as sexist (layman, postman, etc.), ageist (senior citizens, elderly, etc.), and prejudiced (showing a bias for or against a certain race, culture, or sex), should always be avoided. Offending a group of people is not effective communication.

The culture of the audience you are addressing should also be considered. People from different parts of the world, and people from different parts of the United States have different ideas of how things should be done, as well as how they should be addressed. This probably falls under the same category as knowing your audience, but there are different areas to be considered between the audience and the audience’s culture.

Writing a Manual

In writing a manual, the purpose would be instruction and assistance; the goal would be to offer customer support of the software application. The audience is to be considered while deciding what to say and how to say it. First step is to start gathering all data together and proceed to write the manual organizing the data to ensure the reader can easily read and access information.

Next step is proceeding to rewrite, correcting any mistakes and ensuring that important information, definitions, instructions, step-by-step procedures, graphics, cautions and warnings, and company contact information are included.

Clarity

Clarity is the ultimate goal of technical writing. A writer must state their exact meaning by using specific word usage in order to communicate clearly. When writing, it is important to answer the questions who, what, when and where, why, and how. Use words that readers can understand easily; be careful when using acronyms, abbreviations, and jargon.

Conciseness

A writer’s second major goal is conciseness, providing details with the use of fewer words. Conciseness saves time in writing and takes up less of the reader’s time. By being concise, the reader does not feel overwhelmed by the wordiness and can comprehend the information in an easier manner. Technology is constantly being updated and the space for viewing information is getting smaller. Conciseness in writing will ensure the information will fit smaller screens.

Accuracy

Clarity and conciseness are important objectives of technical writing however, if someone’s writing has spelling and grammar errors, the wrong format, or false figures, calculations, amounts, equations, or scientific or medical data, that person’s credibility has been destroyed and time wasted. Accuracy requires that a writer proofreads their text. Committing errors in technical writing will make readers come to the conclusion the writer is either stupid or lazy and can have disastrous results.

Organization

Organization is important in technical writing. Information should be placed on the page logically so the reader is able to follow the writer’s train of thought. Essentially, one step or paragraph should lead into the next. If a writer does not use organization, then readers are unable to comprehend what is being read.

Audience Recognition

In writing a user manual one must not forget that it should be written for multiple types of audiences. The writing starts by giving background information on the product and its usage. To ensure understanding of the text and procedures the should be given a complete explanation of the topic in clear and concise details along with simple graphics while clarifying the steps of the procedure going from one step to the next.

Terms for Different Audience Levels

When writing a user manual, any technical terms used need to be defined and refrain from the use of jargon. Acronyms and abbreviations within parenthesis the first time used in text are to be defined or be place in a glossary at the end of manual. By doing this, you will ensure the readers will be able to receive a clear understanding of the terms used in procedure steps.

Issues of Diversity

Regarding any issues of diversity, I believe that people should be treated equally, regardless of age, sex, gender, religion, or cultural background. If issues of diversities were to arise within the business, it would be beneficial to invest in a course for my employees on multicultural awareness and diversity training, in order to create a more pleasant work environment within the company

Multiculturalism

It vital to define acronyms, and abbreviations in the manual correspondence to another country or culture as far as multiculturalism is concerned. For example: ATM is usually defined as an Automatic Teller Machine but in the technical world, ATM is defined as Asynchronous Transfer Mode. Other countries will not be aware of the meanings of most acronyms and jargon used in the US. So, it is imperative to include definitions of the one being used in the written text. Other countries also have a different way of writing time and measurements, and the symbolism of different colors and animals. When writing to a different culture, it is wise to research the culture involved so a writer may adapt correspondence in a way that does not offend the receiver.

Sexist Language

To avoid sexist language when writing one must use nouns and pronouns that treat people equally, omitting pronouns if possible. All positions in the working world can be performed by male and female individuals. Therefore, when writing one must not show disrespect towards any individual concerning his or her job position, their relationship with family or society.