Chapter 16 Technical Descriptions and Specifications

Technical Descriptions Provide concrete details, precise words, & visuals Show readers what an object or product looks like, how it is assembled, or how it works Sometimes detail processes instead of objects, mechanisms, and products Require writers to recognize audience needs and expectations and to pay attention to language

Technical Descriptions Are routine in nearly all workplaces, even those that don't deal in products Can be stand-alone or parts of other documents Can be distinguished from technical definitions by the heightened attention to physical details

Technical Specifications Are largely similar to technical descriptions Rely more on short phrases and visuals to give readers information quickly and efficiently Therefore, writers must pay even closer attention to layout and design. Often describe parts or procedures of the product or process

Elements of Technical Descriptions Introduction Background Parts and Characteristics Visuals

Introduction Identifies the object, product, mechanism, or process to be described Discusses what background information the audience needs to know Gives a general and brief description of the object, product, mechanism, or process Provides an overview of the rest of the technical description, if it is long

Background Provides contextual information that readers need to fully understand the description Provides detailed information about something unfamiliar to an audience Are useful for both experts and non-experts

Parts and Characteristics Is the main section of a technical description Divides the object, product, or mechanism into its distinct parts and/or characteristics May describe functions of these parts and characteristics – how they work and/or how they are put together

Parts and Characteristics “Parts” refers to the physical and tangible pieces of the thing itself “Characteristics” refers to describable qualities of a thing that are not parts

Visuals Provide readers with hard-to-envision information Are required in nearly all technical descriptions, and all technical specifications Clarify readers’ understanding more fully by: Depicting relationships between information Emphasizing important information Gaining the audience's attention Simplifying information retention

Composing Technical Descriptions The Problem-Solving Approach encourages workplace writers to: Recognize that documents help audiences solve problems Plan to meet audience needs Conduct research to complete their documents

Audience Analysis Some writers mistakenly think that complex objects or processes necessarily require more detailed description than simple ones. Instead, a description’s level of detail should be determined by consideration of what the audience needs.

Descriptive Detail Appeals to readers’ five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing Usually means focusing on characteristics Is prioritized based upon the thing described and audience needs Can be enhanced by use of visuals

Organizing Descriptions Use a pattern suitable to the subject matter and audience needs Understand that most organization is based on the “division” strategy: dividing and subdividing an idea into smaller parts Consider variations on the division strategy: General-to-specific Spatial Chronological

General-to-Specific Organization May provide descriptions that progress from general information to specific descriptions May move from specific descriptions to more general information

Spatial Organization Helps readers navigate information pertaining to physical objects or places Is especially useful for large objects or places Is appropriate when writing descriptions of objects that require discussion of parts and pieces as they relate to each other in space

Chronological Organization Moves readers through a sequential process Guides readers through the events of a particular activity from start to finish Is used for technical descriptions of processes

Headings Are used to designate individual sections Provide navigational cues to readers Separate each part or piece of the object, product, mechanism, or process in a separate paragraph or section

Parts Lists Are used sometimes used to itemize many parts of an object, product, mechanism, or process Should state in advance if the description is going to take the audience through details

Objectivity Is required for technical descriptions to be ethical Means that the writer doesn’t make value judgments about the thing being described Means that the writer doesn’t try to sell it, or in other cases, doesn’t try to degrade it Allows readers to make their own judgments

Alerts Suggest risks to the audience Could be words, phrases, or visuals such as warning signs Help decrease the risk of legal ramifications

Usability Testing Is required by some technical descriptions to ensure accuracy Makes descriptions more effective and useful Depends on the length of the document, its purpose, and its audience