Strategies to Improve Business and Technical Writing Francine Mahak, PhD Utah Government Auditors Association June 5, 2013

Strategies to Improve Business and Technical Writing

Francine Mahak, PhD

Utah Government Auditor’s AssociationJune 5, 2013

Two Overall Goals

1. Write faster and better.

2. Produce messages that people

• Read

Two Overall Goals



• Read • Understand

Two Overall Goals



• Read • Understand• Act on (the 1st time around!)

How to write faster and better1. TARGET

• Readers you are addressing

• Purpose: what you want them to DO

2. DRAFT (quickly!)

• Brainstorm content without worrying about style or grammar

• Organize in order of importance to readers

• Write the easiest parts first

3. SET ASIDE

4. REVISE

We will be writing a document . . .

Think of a policy or procedure you’d like to recommend changing

What kinds of actions do your readers need to take?

Make good use of your time and theirs

• Your message may be buried among many, many others.

• Your readers may have only seconds to look at it!

• (By the way . . . do you read everything?)

• Address your purpose• Target your audience

Basic Principle for Any Writing

Basic Principle for Any Writing• Address your purpose• Target your audience

For organizational/technical writing:

Focus on what they need to DO (vs. know).

Basic Principle for Any Writing• Address your purpose• Target your audience

For organizational/technical writing:

Focus on what they need to DO (vs. know)

1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them2. Then tell them3. Then tell them what you told them

It will look something like thisSubject Line

Main Message + Action Needed

Highlights

Relevant Details

Recap Main Message + Action Needed

In brief: What do I want my readers to . . .

Do

Feel

Know

?

What do I want my readers to . . .

DO

Feel

Know

?

Action is key


DO

Feel

Know

?

RespectedMotivated


DO

Feel

Know

?

Only what’s needed for the DO and FEEL

Let’s write a quick document

Recommendation to change a policy/procedure

Template

I

Please

In brief,

(Contact info)

RE: _______________________________________

Highlights

Relevant Details

Close

Main Message

Template

I

Please

In brief,

(Contact info)

RE: _______________________________________

Highlights

Relevant Details

Close

Main Message

Executive Summary

Let’s take a look at a memo Date: XX/XX/XXXX

To: Xxxx XxxxxxxxSubject: Maintenance XXxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx .

Xxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx Xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxx xxxxxx x xxx-xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx’ xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx Xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

How about this as a beginning?

Subject: Maintenance


In 1998, we had a records maintenance system that did not work well for us.



In 1998, we had a records maintenance system that did not work well for us. So in 2002, we tried a new records maintenance system.



In 1998, we had a records maintenance system that did not work well for us. So in 2002, we tried a new records maintenance system.That didn’t work well either. So in 2007, we….


Where does your eye go next? Date: XX/XX/XXXX






Where does your eye go next? Date: XX/XX/XXXX






Here’s what’s at the end:

Please to not hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions.

Here’s what’s at the end:

Please to not hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions.

!

Date: XX/XX/XXXXTo: Xxxx XxxxxxxxSubject: Maintenance XXxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx .





Have you seen anything important so farin this message?

No wonder! None of the Focus Points gave you anythingimportant!

Date: XX/XX/XXXXTo: Xxxx XxxxxxxxSubject: Maitenance XXxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx .





No wonder! None of the Focus Points gave you anything important!

Put your main messageand action needed in the top focus points.






Have you had enough ofthis message?

No wonder! None of the Focus Points gave you anythingimportant!

Put your main messageand action needed in the top focus points.

Then repeat them at the end.







So maybe you’ve justdeletedthis message . . .







OH NO!

What if this was in the middle paragraph of that memo?

What if this was in the middle paragraph of that memo?

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx, xxx xxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx. Please deliver a 15-minute presentation on your group’s records-maintenance system at Tuesday’s staff meeting. Xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.

Middle: best place to bury your point!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx, xxx xxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx. Please deliver a 15-minute presentation on your groups records-maintenance system at Tuesday’s staff meeting. Xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.

R.I.P.

So, what should the Subject line be?


The Subject line should be a Purpose line

Subject: Request for Records Maintenance Presentation at Tuesday staff meeting

The Subject line should be a Purpose line

Subject: Request for Records Maintenance Presentation at Tuesday staff meeting

• Think of the Subject line as a Purpose line.

• Capitalize on the subject line, so they ‘get the message’ even if they don’t open it

Let’s look at some real documents - yours

Let’s look at some real documents - yours

• See them as if they were in your Inbox• Identify authors’ good choices• Formulate suggestions

Summary: Capitalize on your Subject line Put key information up front

1. Start with the purpose and action needed.

2. Give the gist, then add relevant details.

3. Recap the gist and action needed.

Summary: Capitalize on your Subject line Put key information up front

1. Start with the purpose and action needed.

2. Give the gist, then add relevant details.

3. Recap the gist and action needed.

Use a tone that is respectful and motivating.

Again: here’s the formulaSubject Line

Main Message + Action Needed

Highlights

Relevant Details

Recap Main Message + Action Needed

How to write faster and better1. TARGET

• Readers you are addressing

• Purpose: what you want them to DO

2. DRAFT (quickly!)

• Brainstorm content without worrying about style or grammar

• Organize in order of importance to readers

• Write the easiest parts first

3. SET ASIDE

4. REVISE

Quick Debrief

Let’s Practice

Thank you!

Francine Mahak, PhD(801) 953-4735

[email protected]

University of Utah Career Services

Documents

Strategies to Improve Business and Technical Writing Francine Mahak, PhD Utah Government Auditors Association June 5, 2013