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Technical Writing Skills (TWS)
Duration: 2 days | Cost: $1,485 inc GST | download brochure
If you need to produce user guides, proposals, specifications or any form of online documentation then you'll be using language to communicate with your reader. This workshop covers the essential techniques necessary to produce clear and unambiguous written communications.
Using a structured process you'll start by learning how to plan your objectives, identify your audience, structure your document and select a writing style suited to your readers. Then it's time to get started – learn how to construct effective sentences and paragraphs - how to avoid bad prose - how to choose words that will connect with the reader.
Learn how editing, reviewing and testing are part of the normal writing process rather than tasks to be approached with dread. Using both individual and group exercises, you’ll have ample opportunity to practise your writing skills. You’ll also critique and re-write some of the "less than ideal" documents put out by commercial and government organisations!
This 2-day Technical Writing Skills training workshop provides many practical hints, tips and rules for writing clear technical documents.
Is this the right course for you?
Technical writers, business analysts and business people responsible for producing user guides, proposals, reports, specifications and online documentation will all benefit from this course.
Course objectives
Participants will learn how to produce clear, concise documents. They will be confident in the planning of an effective document that will meet the reader’s needs. They will gain the ability to constructively edit new and existing documentation.
Learning outcomes
On completion of the Technical Writing Skills training workshop, delegates will be able to:
- Describe the essential elements of useable documentation
- Plan a document structure to meet your requirements
- Select an appropriate writing style
- Write, edit and review your work
- Test and publish documents
Customer testimonials
"Course was relaxed, informative and will help greatly with my writing"
Application Support Manager, DMO
"Very well presented and informative"
Technical Writer, Australian Paper
"The course provided a great basis for the preparation of written documents"
Business Analyst, Callista Software
"Very informative, will benefit me in my BA role"
Business Analyst, Energy Australia
"Very informative without being too formal. Presented in a friendly manner that encouraged all participants to contribute"
Senior Technical Analyst, Tabcorp
"The course delivered a base knowledge of a subject we all know about, but know little about"
Training Manager, RAAF Williams
"This course will help me write better user manuals"
Support Officer, HRL Ltd
"Very good course"
OHS Specialist, BP
Course outline
Problems and opportunities with documentation
Why we don't read reports and manuals - common problems with writing. What are the consequences of poor documentation? Who benefits from effective documentation? Whose responsibility is it anyway?
Preparing the document plan
Who will be involved? Scheduling the project. Defining the need - who is the audience? Producing "blueprints" and outlines.
Meeting the needs of your audience
Five levels of reader, each with different needs and expectations. Reader’s, not writer's, orientation - what is the difference and why is it important? Making information accessible quickly. Selecting the appropriate media.
Producing the document
Format and layout. Structure – procedural, step by step, task oriented. Tradeoffs - abbreviation versus understanding. Accessibility – contents, index, glossaries, summaries.
Writing the draft
Writer's block - two distinct causes and how to overcome them. Writing for your audience. Choosing an appropriate writing style. Passive and active voice. Conversational and narrative styles. Procedure writing - the manuscript technique. Jargon - use and abuse. Reader focused writing techniques - using examples, task orientation.
Editing the document
Six distinct editing tasks: language, style, format, context, integrity, production. Do the words make sense? The FOG index and how to measure it.
Testing and publishing your document
Technical, management and audience reviews. Field testing the document for understanding. Selecting appropriate distribution methods. Production and maintenance. Maintaining a distribution list. Keeping documentation up-to-date.
Specific skills
Business letters and proposals. Persuasive and motivational writing. Writing for the online reader.
All IRM courses are practical workshops, led by instructors with real-world business analysis experience. Each workshop is oriented around a fully worked case study with an emphasis on practical work, both individually and in teams. Each delegate takes away a comprehensive course manual - much more than a collection of slides, the manual is a valuable guide for future reference and contains numerous checklists and templates.
One thing we guarantee - these are "roll your sleeves up" courses with an emphasis on doing, participation, interaction and learning.
TWS is learn by doing... practical, hands-on, intensive... and fun!
how to book |
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