At base, writers in the technical are more than just conveyors of tech- information; they arc people who solve communication problems. For in- stance, an environmental firm wants the contract for cleaning up a contaminated waste in Connecticut. To win bid, the company's project team has to write a proposal convincing the potential client that they are the best team for the job. That's a communication problem to be solved. The project team must determine the best strategies for persuading the client. If they get the con- tract, the engineers who do the cleanup will have to report on their methodology, P u s e o f resources, f i n a l results, and compliance with legal regulations. That's an-
other communication problem: how to organize and present the data effectively. During the job, many of the technicians and other field personnel have to write interim reports, laboratory results, and feasibility studies detailing their work. The people who use the laboratory equipment, those who operate the spe- cialized field machinery, and those who use the software programs to analyze re- sults will depend on operator instructions to help them work the equipment effi- ciently. All of these tasks are complex communication problems that technical communicators must solve.
In each case, the writer has to build a bridge between necessary information and the audience. If the writing is disorganized, it won't communicate clearly and may even result in costly misunderstanding. If the writer uses inefficient language or de- signs information poorly, the audience will waste valuable time trying to read the information. And if the writer uses the wrong tone or emphasizes the wrong infor- mation, the audience may become exasperated or unfriendly. Even in small doses, hostility in the audience can cause major difficulties with a technical project. So the writer's job is really that of a problem solver, and the problem to be solved is How
to build the bridge between the technical information and the audience.
If you think of technical in these terms, you will approach your writing tasks more productively. By realizing that any technical writing project requires careful planning, you won't rush pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in a willy-nilly fashion that might only waste your time in false starts. You begin planning by defining the communication problem you need to solve and understanding all of its parts.
12 Chapter 1 / Planning
Most technical professionals are already trained as problem solvers in their tech- nical disciplines. Engineers know how to solve engineering problems, physicians know how to solve medical dilemmas, and so forth. In most technical fields, the ap- proach to problem solving is simple: Define the issue, view it in its various contexts, research comparable situations, apply technical expertise, generate possible solu- tions, test the results, and come to a well-supported conclusion. The same process will work for you as a technical communicator.
When you think of your writing projects in terms of problem solving, the paral- lel between technological methodology and writing methodology becomes clear.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Define the issue. The simplest way to define the issue is to phrase it as a question. For a lab re- port, you might ask, "Does increased pressure on the cylinder distort its shape during rotation?" For an analytical study you might ask, "Is it more cost effective to build a highway overpass or to reconfigure the surface roadway?"
2. View the issue in context. Look at the question you have defined in step 1 in a larger context. How does it relate to other issues similar to it or surrounding it? How will your document add to or limit other documents written on the same or similar subjects? What will be the likely questions from readers? How does cylinder distortion affect the operation of the entire machine? Are other areas along the highway more feasible locations for an overpass?
3. Research comparable situations. Find out what else has been done on your topic or on similar ones. What do other lab experiments tell you that might contribute to your research on cylinder rotation? What did the most recent highway overpass cost?
4. Apply technical expertise. you are a technical expert (such as an engineer or scientist], you can look at the cylinder experiment and use your knowledge to determine whether the cylinder will work in the machine you are building. If your expertise is budget control, you can determine whether building that overpass will be a fiscally sound decision.
5. Generate possible solutions. List all of the potential solutions to the question you asked in step Make sure to include every answer that is logical and possible. Jot down possible outlines or other organizing plans for the final document. Your writing skill will enable you to organize the document in ways that most effectively give readers the information they need.
6. Test the results. Try the various solutions you generated. Ask colleagues for their reactions, run the ideas by a local citizens' group, give the document plan to an editor or to a potential reader. Do the solutions make sense? What elements need revising?
7. Come to a well-supported conclusion. Consider all the evidence you have gathered. You should be able to see in this evidence the support you need to come to trustworthy conclusions about how to proceed. The careful planning you have done will ultimately save you