My Journey of Becoming a Professional and Technical Writer

1. My Journey of Becoming a Professional and Technical Writer Senior Presentation By Peggy Laney

2. Topics The outcomes of two documents I developed during my education at UCCS and summer internship • A Professional Document: Grant Proposal • Meeting reader/user needs • Writing in multiple genres • A Technical Document: IT Procedure • Meeting reader expectations • Participating and effectively communicating in a community • The reason I chose to discuss these outcomes • Background on what lead me to the PTW program

3. Background The Caterpillar Years Technical writing during positions in marketing and travel Always drawn to or tasked with doing technical writing In Marketing – flyers, class schedules, advertisements and other promotional items In Travel – travel itineraries, flyers, handbooks, templates, forms, and web content Sensed that my vocational destiny involves writing/technology Chrysalis Stage Pursuit of education in computers and English Exposed to technical writing through learning software Later, I went inward as a literature major PTW emphasis seemed like a perfect choice!

4. Grant Proposal Project Overview: At the time, I was like a Chrysalis - in the dark – not really understanding the purpose and outcomes of this type of writing, especially with regard to technical writing A class project involving a two person team An exercise in grant writing - no real clients Align with an local organization in the Springs Proposal seeking funds for a anti-cyber-bullying school program The amount requested was $45,000 The prospective donor? Verizon Corporation Their mission was a perfect match to my program

5. Proposal outcomes Writing the grant proposal taught me several strategies for meeting readers needs • I learned to see myself as the reader’s advocateto help meet their objectives • I learned that effective content organization is necessary to fulfill the reader’s need for • intelligent skimming • Information retrievability • I also learned to provide concise writing

6. Effective organization One way I learned to meet reader needs is through effective organization: • Headings and subheadings for topics and subtopics • Bulleted lists for series of information • These features permit intelligent skimming during review • They make information more accessible and retrievable • Lacked a table of contents • Why these features are important Headings/Subheadings Topics/Sub-topics Bulleted lists for intelligent skimming

7. Clear and Concise Writing I learned to meet reader needs by providing clear and concise writing • Making my point right away/give readers what they need to know • Avoided trying to entertain or impress with big words or illustrious sentences • Use of tables to present certain information • Easily-understood blocks of information rather than lengthy narratives Make the point write away Tables with columns and fields

8. Compelling the Reader I learned that readers need to feel compelled to reader further • They need assurance that I am not wasting their time • I met this need through content meant to persuade the reader, e.g. facts, figures, credible sources, and citations • I used appropriate language • Writing that is business-like, not too formal or casual • Writing that is error-free and grammatically correct Needs Statement

9. Compelling the Reader I learned to compel the reader through inspiring confidence • Readers need to feel confident in me and my organization’s ability to implement the project • To inspire confidence in the reader I seek to establish my credibility as a writer and the credibility of the organization • I give the reader specifics, not generalities Gives specifics

10. Writing in Multiple Genres I learned the skill of writing for multiple genres • I learned that each genre serves a distinct function in speaking to the varying needs of readers • Some of the genres within my grant proposal include: • Each genre serves to persuade the reader to: • come to some conclusion, or • to take some action in favor of funding my proposed program

11. Writing in Multiple Genres Genre of Project Planning The Evaluation and Sustainability • Genre of project planning • Speaks to the needs of readers responsible for determining my programs viability The Budget • Genre of accounting/bookkeeping • Speaks to the needs of accountants or financial analysts • A specific format customary to this genre The Needs Statement • Genre of classic rhetoric, the art of persuasion • I persuade readers using facts, figures, and credible sources that support the need for my program • I use evidence and statistics Genre of Accounting/Bookkeeping Genre of Classic rhetoric

12. Written Technical Document IT Procedure Project Overview Developed procedure during Internship as CH2M HILL Part of the emerging butterfly stage of my transformation One of two paid interns hired to do technical writing Part of QMS effort to become ISO 9001:2008 compliant 22 procedures and work instructions in total

13. Procedure Outcomes There were many outcomes as a result of the internship I will focus on only two: • I learned to develop technical documents that meet a range of reader’s needs and expectations • I learned to participate and effectively communicate in a community of IT subject matter experts

14. Planning Stages in Meeting Reader Needs Before I could begin to meet reader needs, I had to evaluate the intended audience: The result? The need for a written procedure that met the needs of both IT experts and non-IT employees

15. Meeting Reader Needs and Expectations Glossary Non-expert readers would need and expect procedures that were user-friendly and accessible This meant giving them access to complex procedures Identifying and defining each potentially unfamiliar term and acronym in a glossary

16. Meeting Reader Needs and Expectations • QMS Managers: need procedures accurate enough for duplication during disaster recovery and that are ISO compliant • IT SMEs: expect procedures that accurately represent their work within the company Comprehensive Procedure

17. Meeting Reader Needs and Expectations To meet the needs of non-IT experts and visual learners, I developed this flowchart representing the process at a much higher level than the written procedure It may look complicated, but a closer look reveals simple steps and decision points in a procedure

18. Flowchart Turns complex information into a concise procedure Represent high-level steps without all the details Accessible to Non-Experts and Visual Learners Rectangles = steps Diamonds = decisions

19. Participating and Communicating in a Community • I had to remain composed and focused under pressure during interviews • Sometimes I asked for information to develop procedures on my own I gain competency in participating and effectively communicating in a community I had to interview IT subject matter experts At first this was a bit intimidating I quickly learning what questions to ask…

20. Overcoming Challenges At one point during the development, the process came to a halt • Questions submitted to the PM team via email went unanswered • Passively waiting for returned emails was not effective • Took a proactive approach and set up meetingsusing a technology called LiveMeeting • Meetings helped me keep the process moving to get information or approvals of drafts • Results of employee evaluation • SMEs appreciated my keeping the process moving

21. Outcome of Writing Projects In the process of my transformation, I learned a many things about technical writing, including: • Assessing and analyzing my audience to meet reader/user needs and expectations • Writing in multiple genres • Participating and effectively communicating in a community • All valuable skills that will foster my success in professional or technical writing