Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

TCO 341TCO 341

Fall 2002Fall 2002

Dr. CodoneDr. Codone

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

• Identifying primary & secondary Identifying primary & secondary audiencesaudiences– Primary – those who have a direct role in Primary – those who have a direct role in

responding to your documentresponding to your document– Secondary – those who need to stay abreast Secondary – those who need to stay abreast

of developments in the organizationof developments in the organization

Which audience has more important needs?Which audience has more important needs?

Audience AnalysisAudience Analysis

Primary audiences

Secondary audiences

Nominal audience

Must act on the information you communicateMay be affected by what you communicateMay have a supervisory need to know about what you communicate

Potential AudiencesPotential Audiences

• Corporate Annual ReportCorporate Annual Report

• New Household Cleaner Ad CampaignNew Household Cleaner Ad Campaign

• Presidential Candidate SpeechPresidential Candidate Speech

• SermonSermon

• Newspaper EditorialNewspaper Editorial

• Internal memo about sexual Internal memo about sexual harassmentharassment

Four Categories of ReadersFour Categories of Readers

• ExpertExpert – highly trained individual with – highly trained individual with extensive theory & knowledgeextensive theory & knowledge

• TechnicianTechnician – individual who applies – individual who applies practical application of theory to real practical application of theory to real thingsthings

• ManagerManager – individual who makes – individual who makes organization operate smoothlyorganization operate smoothly

• General readerGeneral reader – better known as – better known as general publicgeneral public

Study these screenshots and identify the intended audience, its purpose and note the characteristics that make it appropriate--or inappropriate--for that audience.

Analyzing your AudienceAnalyzing your Audience

• Classify your readers (or listeners)Classify your readers (or listeners)

• Determine categories of readers & listenersDetermine categories of readers & listeners

• Determine their purpose & goalsDetermine their purpose & goals

• Determine interest levelsDetermine interest levels

• Determine matching characteristicsDetermine matching characteristics

• Try to understand what they want from youTry to understand what they want from you

Analyzing your AudienceAnalyzing your Audience

• Consider your reader’s:Consider your reader’s:– EducationEducation– Professional experienceProfessional experience– Job responsibilitiesJob responsibilities– Personal characteristicsPersonal characteristics– Personal preferencesPersonal preferences– Cultural characteristicsCultural characteristics– Attitudes toward youAttitudes toward you

Analyzing your AudienceAnalyzing your Audience

• Consider your reader’s:Consider your reader’s:– Attitude toward the subjectAttitude toward the subject– Reasons for reading or listeningReasons for reading or listening– Method of reading or listeningMethod of reading or listening– Reading skillsReading skills– Physical environmentPhysical environment

Analyze RaytheonAnalyze Raytheon

• Investigate the three documents to Investigate the three documents to describe:describe:

– How the different audiences and purposes How the different audiences and purposes affect their content, organization, style, and affect their content, organization, style, and appearance. appearance.

– Consider such features as paragraph style, Consider such features as paragraph style, sentence structure, level of formality, use of sentence structure, level of formality, use of technical vocabulary, and use of graphics and technical vocabulary, and use of graphics and screen design. screen design.

http://www.raytheon.com/

http://www.raytheon.com/

http://www.raytheon.com/

Audience AdaptationAudience Adaptation

• How to make technical information How to make technical information more understandable for all more understandable for all audiences! (audiences! (what you’ve all been what you’ve all been waiting forwaiting for))

1.1. Add information readers need to understand Add information readers need to understand your document.your document. Check to see whether certain key Check to see whether certain key information is missing--for example, a critical series of information is missing--for example, a critical series of steps from a set of instructions; important background steps from a set of instructions; important background that helps beginners understand the main discussion; that helps beginners understand the main discussion; definition of key terms.definition of key terms.

http://www.io.com/~hcexres/tcm1603/acchtml/aud.html

Audience AdaptationAudience Adaptation

1.1. Omit information your readers do not need.Omit information your readers do not need. Unnecessary information can also confuse and frustrate Unnecessary information can also confuse and frustrate readers. For example, you can probably chop theoretical readers. For example, you can probably chop theoretical discussion from basic instructions.discussion from basic instructions.

2.2. Change the level of the information you currently Change the level of the information you currently have.have. You may have the right information but it may be You may have the right information but it may be "pitched" at too high or too low a technical level. It may be "pitched" at too high or too low a technical level. It may be pitched at the wrong kind of audience--for example, at an pitched at the wrong kind of audience--for example, at an expert audience rather than a technician audience. expert audience rather than a technician audience.

3.3. Add examples to help readers understand.Add examples to help readers understand. Examples Examples are one of the most powerful ways to connect with are one of the most powerful ways to connect with audiences, particularly in instructions. audiences, particularly in instructions.

Audience AdaptationAudience Adaptation

1.1. Change the organization of your information.Change the organization of your information. Background Background information needs to woven into the main information--for information needs to woven into the main information--for example, in instructions it's sometimes better to feed in chunks example, in instructions it's sometimes better to feed in chunks of background at the points where they are immediately of background at the points where they are immediately needed.needed.

2.2. Strengthen transitionsStrengthen transitions.. Make connections clearer by adding Make connections clearer by adding transition wordstransition words and by echoing and by echoing key wordskey words more accurately. more accurately. Words like "therefore," "for example," "however" are transition Words like "therefore," "for example," "however" are transition words--they indicate the logic connecting the previous thought words--they indicate the logic connecting the previous thought to the upcoming thought. Strengthen transitions by repeating to the upcoming thought. Strengthen transitions by repeating key words.key words.

3.3. Write stronger introductions--both for the whole Write stronger introductions--both for the whole document and for major sections.document and for major sections. Write a strong Write a strong introduction to the entire document--make the topic, purpose, introduction to the entire document--make the topic, purpose, audience, and contents clear. For each major section, use audience, and contents clear. For each major section, use mini-introductions that indicate the topic of the section and mini-introductions that indicate the topic of the section and give an overview of the subtopics to be covered in that section.give an overview of the subtopics to be covered in that section.

Audience AdaptationAudience Adaptation

1.1. Create topic sentences for paragraphs and paragraph Create topic sentences for paragraphs and paragraph groups.groups. It can help readers immensely to give them an idea of It can help readers immensely to give them an idea of the topic and purpose of a section (a group of paragraphs) and the topic and purpose of a section (a group of paragraphs) and in particular to give them an overview of the subtopics about to in particular to give them an overview of the subtopics about to be covered.be covered.

2.2. Change sentence style and lengthChange sentence style and length. . An average of An average of somewhere between 15 and 25 words per sentence is about somewhere between 15 and 25 words per sentence is about right; sentences over 30 words are to be mistrusted.right; sentences over 30 words are to be mistrusted.

3.3. Break text up or consolidate text into meaningful, usable Break text up or consolidate text into meaningful, usable chunks.chunks. For nonspecialist readers, you may need to have For nonspecialist readers, you may need to have shorter paragraphs. Notice how much longer paragraphs are in shorter paragraphs. Notice how much longer paragraphs are in technical documents written for specialists. technical documents written for specialists.

Audience AdaptationAudience Adaptation

1.1. Use headings and lists.Use headings and lists. Readers can be intimidated by big Readers can be intimidated by big dense paragraphs of writing, uncut by anything other than a dense paragraphs of writing, uncut by anything other than a blank line now and then. Search your rough drafts for ways to blank line now and then. Search your rough drafts for ways to incorporate headings--look for changes in topic or subtopicincorporate headings--look for changes in topic or subtopic

2.2. Use special typography, and work with margins, line Use special typography, and work with margins, line length, line spacing, type size, and type style.length, line spacing, type size, and type style. For For nonspecialist readers, you can do things like making the lines nonspecialist readers, you can do things like making the lines shorter (bringing in the margins), using larger type sizes, and shorter (bringing in the margins), using larger type sizes, and other such tactics. Certain type styles are believed to be other such tactics. Certain type styles are believed to be friendlier and more readable than others. friendlier and more readable than others.

Questions?Questions?