Unit Two: Product-Oriented Communication

Situation

Technical communication frequently involves explaining a process or a product to other engineers, fellow employees , employers, or users.  These explanations must be thorough, clear, accurate, and easy to follow.  Occasionally they will involve an element of persuasion—you might be asked to contribute to a technical maketing project for selling a particular product.   This unit will introduce you to various aspects of product-oriented communication.

Audience and purpose

In this unit, you will first analyze two document s of your choice, write an evaluation of the documents for me, then write a memo to the “author” of the weaker document (see Assignment  2, page 244, CGTC).   While you will not know this person, your memo needs to use an appropriate  professional tone in order to convince the author that he or she should make the revisions that you suggest.

Your second audience will be me: you need to get my approval before proceeding with parts 3 and 4.  You need to convince me that you can explain a certain product or process thoroughly within a fairly small space and time.  You also need to convince me that your product or process will be interesting, relevant, and informative for your classmates.

Your third audience will be your classmates.  Produce a print-based document  that sufficiently explains a technical product or process to other undergraduate  engineering students.

Deliverables

1. A two-page memo to me, in which you analyze the strengths and weakness of two technical documents.  Include all or parts of the document s you have analyzed.   Due Feb. 14.
2. A one or two page memo to the “author” of the weaker of the two documents you have analyzed.  Explain the problems you see, and suggest changes in a polite, professional manner. Due Feb. 14.
3. A one-page proposal memo to me, in which you explain what kind of document you are going to produce, and why it is relevant to your classmates.  Due Feb. 19.
4. The product-oriented communication itself—appropriate for classmates.  Due March 3.
5. An oral presentation accompanied by a  power-point presentation (or other kinds of visual aids), turned in either as a computer file or a print-out of the presentation. Due March 3.
6. Drafts, discussion notes, any other preliminary work that will help me more accurately evaluate your documents.  Be sure to keep a file of all the work you do for this unit. Due March 3. 

Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on your ability to produce relevant, accessible, usable documents—a grading rubric is available on the web site.  While I will be responsible for assigning most of the grade in this unit, your peers will evaluate  items four and five based on the rubrics I provide them with. 

Goals for this unit

• To practice and improve your ability to effectively analyze documents and provide constructive criticism
• Practice writing effective memos of different kinds: evaluation memo, feedback memo, proposal memo.
• Practice writing product- oriented communication: concise, thorough, clear, visually rich documents. 
• Practice oral presentations, supported by effective visual aids.