Author: Theresa Pojuner

Virtual communication, is when people communicate without being face-to-face. An example of its usage is in training sessions, i.e., e-learning. Instructors can communicate and provide lessons from anywhere and anytime, as long as they (and the audience) have the right tools.

The trainer needs to first know:

• Who is the audience?
• How do we virtually connect?
• What tools are required by the trainer and user?
• Is there a process in place for ensuring that all communication standards are met?
• How will files be exchanged?
• Does the documentation meet the training objective?
• How do we easily transfer the knowledge?
• Was the language used suitable, appropriate and understandable within any culture?
• How do we ensure that the correct knowledge was transferred?

The cloud and mobile devices will help the trainer (and the user) by providing quick and easy access to documentation and training. With easier access to learning and communicating, everyone has a means and an opportunity to be more efficient. The cloud makes it easier for the trainer by providing and maintaining the training sessions, and the mobile devices allow for easier and faster communication between the trainer and user.

To know if the virtual training and communication will be effective, the following questions below should be answered with a ‘yes’:

• Did the virtual training and documentation meet its purpose and goals?
• Did we follow existing processes and standards for communicating?
• Did we provide appropriate and beneficial information through slides, videos, and presentations?
• Did we use the best and the right tools (and formats) to produce the documentation and training program?
• Did we ensure that everyone (provider and user) will be utilizing the same communication tools?
• Did we allow users to access a demo? It would be beneficial for the user to have access to a demo even if it is for a limited time so that they can become more familiar with the product, subject, service, app, etc.
• Did we provide a prototype that the users can try it out?
• Did we provide a means for users to review the training session?

Regarding the documentation (or downloaded files), ask:

• Was the work reviewed and approved?
• Were the documents tested for accuracy (by individuals, department, and project)?
• Is there a schema where all training documents as well as presentations and videos kept?
• Is there a methodology (or an existing content management system) that exists to help us stay organized?
• Will the users be able to download essential files?

Regarding collecting user feedback, ensure that:

• the processes are set up to get feedback from users (clients, developers, SMEs, customer service, etc.)
• the audience was questioned to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the virtual presentation, such as was too much or too little information presented.

Virtual communication (as well as video communication, web conferencing, etc.), are very popular and beneficial, and are used by many organizations and institutions to provide the information they want to share, teach, market, etc.

What are your thoughts and experiences on virtual communication?

How do you currently communicate globally? Before our modern techniques (of using the web, mobile devices or videos, Skype, etc.,) for communicating, the time it took to converse or correspond internationally took quite a while and we weren’t even sure of how the recipient reacted to what was delivered. But now we can know immediately how a recipient feels. Using new technology and also being able to create a global team provides the solution.

In regards to translating documents globally, set up a dedicated global team instructed in the areas of:

• Cultural diversity – acquainted with cultural differences and being able to have the same frame of mind as the other culture.
• Training and writing globally –accustomed to implementing leaning sessions and clarifying word meanings globally.
• Managing in a global environment – familiarized with working with others globally; negotiating, planning, etc.
• Reporting globally– used to translating captured data and their meaning.

In regards to technical writing globally and information gathering, technical writers need to ensure effective communication between global teams to maximize productivity. They need to understand the culture; their language, ethics, principles of value, moral codes, etc. It is not easy living in one country and leaning about another, unless of course you move overseas. But if moving is not possible, how do we know that what we communicate is being accepted and understood?

• To meet and greet the individuals, we have conference calls, video chats, or Skype.
• To ensure we are on the same page, we send out documents and discuss them.
• To show the product or activity, we create prototypes or perform demonstrations of the product.

Note: refer back to a previous article on global technical writing for tips on writing and managing your documents:

https://staging.management.org/blogs/communications/2012/04/30/a-global-technical-writer/

In addition to the above tips in the article, prior to and during meetings, be sure you note and ask:

• Who are the global contacts?
• How do we virtually connect with them?
• Is there a process in place for ensuring that all documentation standards are met?
• Where are all the terms defined so that we are all on the same page for terminology?
• How are files exchanged?
• How are updates made?
• Did the document capture and meet the objective of the organization?
• Was the correct knowledge transferred?
• Was the language used suitable, appropriate and understandable?
• Was the usage of the document easier than meeting face-to-face?
• Was the translation software able to phrase local terminology suitably?

The key to an effective global team is to also get everyone in sync. This is quite a challenge, but is doable by following all the tips noted. There are many more solutions, but he above were just a few.

Have you established a global team? What challenges have you faced in working in a global organization?

How do we communicate training as a technical writer? Is collaboration a key to good training? Collaboration is how well we work with others, knowing others, and being able to communicate well with others.

The right side of the brain helps us with communicating and training and collaborating. As a trainer, a technical writer has to:

• have explored and learned all the essentials, information, or data that is to be transferred. By doing so, they will know how to structure the mediums that will be used to transfer the knowledge.
• have a key understanding of what the audience needs and to tailor it to them through any medium needed to aid in the training, i.e., scripts, presentations, manuals, etc. The medium used has to be engaging, interesting, and relevant.
• be able to be a good listener, writer, be focused, and be able to adjust their teaching methods and their technical documents accordingly. A good trainer will be sensitive to a changing environment either while interactively training or when writing new policies, procedures, designing the curriculum, etc.
• be able to manage their time, their audience, and be able to continuously concentrate on the outcome of the lesson and at the same time be able to work collaboratively across all functions for gathering data and to work collaboratively across all audiences to provide them the training needed.

Trainers have to collaborate with the technical resources or any subject matter expert to gather specific (data or design) information. Therefore, know your SME (Subject Matter Experts). Find them and collaborate; create relationships and work with them and use any opportunity to gather information.

Training via slide shows presentations, videos, tutorials, mappings, documented material, etc. make it easy for us to socially communicate, share knowledge, and collaborate on the web or through any popular medium. With the popularity and reliance of mobile devices being a huge part of our industry now, how do we create independent training events for them? The knowledge to answer this question can be gathered from meetings and improving our own knowledge of and keeping up-to-date of all new technical advances in that area.

Teamwork plus collaboration always equals a positive outcome. Use your excellent communication skills to understand your stakeholders, use your interpersonal skills to collaborate with colleagues to gather information, and use your technical and analytical skills to understand complex technical information and organize it into a logical or customized format. Always remain organized and remember to ensure the look and feel of any training session and any associated documents are appealing and useable.

In the end, good training, collaboration, and technical documents always create better performance in individuals because of increased skills.

What are your thoughts on training and collaboration? Is collaboration a key to good training?

How do you communicate updates for your technical documents? With fast growing companies, especially global companies, and frequent technical innovations, how do you let others know, for example, an application, product, manufacturing, business, etc. document has been updated? How do we document the revisions? To be sure that there is an effective process to indicate and notify users, here are some suggestions to lessen a chaotic impact for document changes:

• Pre-warn users of impending changes and indicate a launch date for a new document. With today’s social media and mobile devices, this should be an easy accomplishment. Within an organization, if there is an intranet, or a social message system, announcements can be easily communicated quickly.
• Make sure that revision numbers appear on the front of a document.
• Issue an email with the attached document, with the subject line indicating an update to a document, followed by what was changed. If there have been relevant or more than a few updates, then a meeting and or training session must be held.
• Create a new front cover for the document, so that users can easily distinguish the new updated document from the older one.
• Create a cover page that indicates where changes were made, include page numbers to direct users to the appropriate page. This is especially useful for global companies where translation and retranslation is important. This not only makes it easier for a translator but for the reader as well.
• Create thumb prints for the documents on revised pages and bold or italicize the updates to make amended items stand out.
• Create new revised figure, images, tables, etc., to show new or modified items. Highlight pointers to make it easier for the reader to understand and view the updates. This is especially useful for updated products, applications, business flows, data, etc.
• Email all users of impending changes when templates have been updated. Be sure to state why they have been modified. Also, indicate the date when the new templates will begin to be used. For example, there might be a new company logo that is to be used for better marketing and the company would want all associated events to begin on the same day.
• Bold or italicize modified text where context sensitive helps or web online help issues are involved. If there are any follow-ups, the reader should be allowed/able to contact someone to question the modification. (For example, this could be a built-in feature within an application, or a customer service added feature to a product.)

In the end, be sure to create a process to ensure that when documentation updates occur, all associated documents and all those involved will be notified, that established procedures are followed so that no one is left out of the loop, and that everything will run smoothly and without chaos.

If you have any other ideas as to how to communicate updates, please leave a comment. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

Let us say you are familiar with your audience. Even though you know them, when it comes to writing or presenting, how do you know how much to say and in what manner? This is particularly difficult when you have to use technical terms and there is a new system or product. Sometimes you do not want to be too basic when it comes to explanations or definitions. But how does the audience feel about this?

• Make it interesting enough for them to stay focused.
• Make sure that your words are aimed at the audience and not into thin air.
• Make sure they are understanding you and that the document or the presentation is meaningful and valuable.

How do you know how much knowledge to share within a document or presentation? Probably, the best approach is to start with basics by answering these questions:

• Why and how did this item come about?
• What was the problem that had to be solved?
• Who thought of it?
• Who was approached at a meeting?
• Who agreed to it?
• Was there any updates to it or restructuring?
• Who finally agreed?
• How was it built?
• Who was involved in producing it?
• How long did it take to create?
• How detailed did the developers need to get?

Depending on who the receivers of this new information are and the individuals affected, deciding how to communicate the information and in what form also has to be done. Forms meaning by print, slides, workflows seminars, etc.

Once the above questions are answered, knowledgeable experts on the new system, product, techniques, etc. will have to be noted and/or presented so that the audience will know whom to go to for answers when there are questions or problems. Within a document, list the relevant people above. Within a presentation, have them there and have them introduce themselves and state their roles.

Make believe you are in the audience – how would you respond to the document, or presentation that has been created? – Think about:

• What else would you or the audience like to know?
• What questions might be asked.
• How would you like to view this new document or presentation?

Put yourself in the audience’s shoe or mind. Do you really like what you have just created, or are you just happy that the task is completed?

Always review the finished task. Review it at least 3 times to see if it is what you like and what the audience would like. Will they learn from it, will they be happy with it? If it is not basic enough for the audience then how can they learn from it? If they don’t like the look of it, will they continue to open another page?

Always look at your completed work from the audience’s viewpoint.

Can you answer this question? ‘How do you know when you’ve got all your ducks in a row?’

Please leave a comment. Thank you.

 

 

How do you communicate change to others? It can be done verbally or through writing. For lead technical writers, immediate changes require the creation of new or updated requirements and meetings to present changes and new documents. Prior to the meetings, the lead technical writers have to question and determine where, when, and why changes occurred.

Change involves a lot of research. For technical writers to communicate change, they will have to:

• learn about any use case revisions and
• gather any new information from developers, product managers, stakeholders, etc.

Once all the facts are compiled, the next step is to:

• find all the documents that will be affected and revise and disseminate them, as well as
• communicate all changes verbally to others via training or open sessions.

To make the job easier, technical writers should always keep abreast of new and upcoming changes and likewise, forewarn any affected users that processes may be changing. No one likes to hear about a change and then have to suddenly switch gears. What if you were working as a customer assistant responder and knew of one way to perform a task and then was immediately told that a feature was altered or deleted. How would you respond to users calling to complain? Letting others know ahead of time of forthcoming changes would prepare them to adapt more easily. If the customer assistant was notified of impending changes, then they too could have pre-warned others of upcoming changes. This would cause less of a shock and the customer assistant and users would have planned ahead for it.

Depending on the environment, changes can occur quite often. Changes affect schedules and delivery times. But to ease the burden of communicating sudden changes, the following processes should exist:

• Meetings should be continuously held to keep others up-to-date such as for the cases mentioned above. The technical writers should be aware of and attend all meetings and have a set of prepared questions to get their questions answered in order to get their job done.
• Standards of good communication should exist. Managers need to make sure good communication takes place between all team members. Miscommunication leads to confusion, uncertainty, and unpredictable outcomes. (Note: with today’s social media applications and devices, miscommunication should not be an issue as statements or announcements can be quickly verified.)
• Processes for change management should exist that describe what steps have to be taken, who should attend meetings, what has to be evaluated, when, etc. As part of that process, which users, departments, etc. to notify should also be included after the change has been approved and documented. Note: technical writers should investigate and make sure that they are on the list of any relevant meetings to ensure that they are not lost or forgotten within the change management process.

How have you communicated changes within a development life cycle or within any organization? Please leave a comment. Thank you.

How to communicate to others. The previous content presented ‘How not to communicate as a Technical Writer’. This segment involves a list of ‘How to communicate as a Technical Writer’.

Technical Writers do not have an easy job. They translate and communicate relevant information into easy to understand information to their audience. To communicate well to any audience, the Technical Writer should:

• Always communicate understandably to the audience. Whether it’s communicating by speaking or writing, the relevant content should always be communicated at the audience’s level. The writer should be able to differentiate between writing for upper management and users.
• Always take time to review all the details before communicating. A Technical Writer is a detailed individual who wants to be sure that everything that is conveyed is correct and vital.
• Always be learning and never say something is not interesting. Learning and hence being able to communicate the knowledge is at the forefront of a Technical Writer’s job.
• Always collaborate, communicate, and build trust. Build up your knowledge groups and team members. Make sure that individuals, team members, or groups are comfortable with you so that relevant knowledge is always shared.
• Always be as sensitive to the tone in your writing as you would in your voice.
• Always pay attention and listen to others. Especially listen to your SMEs. Your SME’s know what is happening (how, when, where, what, etc.).
• Always be patient and listen before speaking. Not giving individuals enough time to speak and to finish their thoughts and sentences is not good etiquette. Interrupting people while they are speaking causes some to just stop speaking and sharing as they feel you must know it all, or they might have wanted to say something different. You are not a mind reader.
• Always watch the user, the speaker, the person you are communicating with. Watch their faces, mannerisms, etc. Faces might say one thing, but their words say something else. For example, when asked if the handouts or any written material was beneficial, an individual may not like to hurt anyone’s feelings so they might say the material is good, when it isn’t. Watch and see their facial expressions and mannerisms as they turn the pages.
• Always listen to the tone of your voice when speaking. Keep it open, friendly and undemanding.

The above were just a few highlighted important rules for Technical Writers to follow when communicating. The one rule that all Technical Writers share and abide by is that they always communicate clearly, concisely, and accurately. That is the most important rule.

Do you have any ‘Must do’s’ to add to this topic? If so, please leave a comment. Thank you.

How not to communicate to others. The following are some pretty important rules about how Technical Writers should and should not communicate. Part 1 will be about how Technical Writers should not communicate and Part 2 will be about how they should communicate.

Writers who cannot communicate in a professional manner will not get to connect well with others nor gather the information they need. For Technical Writers (TW) to function well within any organizations environment, they must be approachable and receptive. Here are a few tips on how not to communicate to others.

• Do not be the 3 A’s (assertive, aggressive, annoying). Do not let others perceive you as being over confident. This is especially true if you have not double checked your resources and data before communicating information. A TW is always diplomatic and only states the facts. Prior to any encounters, a TW should always analyze and ensure that all information communicated is accurate and valid.
• Do not answer a question before thinking. This rule in essence applies to all individuals, but for a Technical Writer, who is supposed to be objective and factual, any miss-quotes can be taken as that individual to not be reliable nor responsible.
• Do not use just any words to communicate. Make it appropriate and useful., clear, and concise.
• Do not jump to conclusions – as always, listen and then think about what will be said and/or written. In other words, do not react with emotion. A TW always thinks about why and what will be communicated to others.
• Do not assume that communication problems are due to someone else’s errors. It is possible that the error came from your end and not someone else’s, e.g., inserting the wrong dates or information on a project plan or document. A Technical Writer should always be open to any criticism or evaluation.
• Do not rely completely on your gut feelings when communicating decisions. Double check everything first and then rely on your gut feelings to make a decision. This way you will know that the decision will also be based on valid and reliable information.
• Do not rely completely on past experiences when you are going to collaborate with others on a new project. Environments often change within the technical arena. Attend all meetings so that you are kept up-to-date on all changes and more importantly, on new knowledge that allows you to be able to interact with others more understandably. In other words, remain technically versed.
• Do not be dishonest when communicating what you know. No one knows everything. Similarly with instructors, if an answer is not known, simply state that you will try to get the answer or information. Technical Writers have a sense of curiosity so research and find out the correct answer.
• Do not lose focus in communication via writing or speaking. Create your outline and make it suitable for you. Next change it up so that it is suitable for your target audience. Technical Writers communicate clearly, concisely, and accurately.

The above were just a few highlighted important ‘Do not’s’.

Do you have any ‘Do not’s’ to add to this topic? If so, please leave a comment. Thank you.

Some Technical Writers like to use numbers in dividing up sections within a document and some do not. Some documents require it and some do not. What method is best?

Sequencing information by using numerals or alphabetical letters:

• ensures that the reader follows precise directions,
• makes the content easier to read, and
• makes it easier to find information if the material is being referenced
• keeps lengthy documents organized – when combining alphabets and numbers.

In general:

• use numbers to emphasize step by step instructions
• use alphabets for sequencing of sections or subsections
• use numbers and alphabets to see a hierarchical picture of the information

What is best to use depends on your user and what they are used to seeing. Make it useful for the target audience.

For:

• very short documents, numbering nor alphabetical listings may not be needed. You may just need to state the procedure within a heading, and then list the steps using bullets.
• extensively long documents, the table of contents should give a break down by topic. Within each topic, use either numbers, alphabets, or both.
• other documents, rely on your style guide. Every organization has a different set of rules that they follow and they should be noted within the style guide.

The medium:

The medium used to communicate your content has to also be considered when you are deciding on employing the use of numbering or alphabetical sequencing – will the content will be produced as hard-copies, online, or in particular formats.

• If it is online, how will the target audience view the material?
• If it is printed, will the material be presented within a familiar format?
• If it is presented as a pdf, will the audience be accustomed to reading a pdf?

To make it easier for your readers to consume documents, note the following:

• For online documents – be sure to add links so that the user can return to the table of contents or the beginning of a chapter or topic. Having links combined with numbers and/or alphabets within headings and sub headings allow the reader to know where they are within the document – especially if it is lengthy.
• For documents such as pdfs – use numbering, alphabets, or none at all. Normally, a pdf paper is not that long and does not require any kind of sequencing method. Of course, there are always exceptions such as when a book is published as a pdf. For those special cases, then a table of contents is used to let the reader know where they are within the book.
• For printed documents – either use numbers and/or alphabets or both depending on the length of the material.

In the end, the key is consistency and usability. If you can answer what works best for your target audience, then that is the technique you should be applying in your documents.

If you have a preference for using either numbers or alphabets or both in documents, please leave a comment.

How do you interview for a technical writing position? It’s not only bringing samples of your work, it’s also being able to communicate about how you created your documents. Go through the following checklist to be prepared:

Knowledge – Speak about:

• Tools or applications that you have worked with or that you are familiar with – for creating the various documents, including querying, database, info graphic, testing tools, etc.
• Any courses you have taken to improve your skills – including communication, organization, management, training, designing, testing, etc.
• Any relevant background information that qualifies you for the type of position you are interviewing for – such as being familiar with the industry terminology, i.e., pharmaceutical, manufacturing industries.
• What interests you about the industry, position, and why.
• How you can help the organization – elaborate on some ideas you may have.
• What knowledge and experience you are bringing to the organization that they don’t have.
• Your desire to learn and to share information.

Documents produced – Speak about:

• The benefits of the documents you have produced – their accuracy, usefulness, formatting, consistency, relevancy, importance, etc.
• How you decided to design and organize the document – what tools were used, who you were writing for, the length, formatting, features, etc.
• How you would begin to create a document – via mapping, outline, etc.
• Whether or not you’d do anything different within the document samples you are sharing with them.
• All the different forms of documents you have produced – for users, training, requirements, specifications, testing requirements, style guides, operating procedures, process flows, diagrams, etc.

Getting the information – Speak about:

• How you were able to get the information to create the document – finding your SME’s, interviewing, speaking with others, etc.
• The individuals (clients, users, management, etc.) that you met with to get the information.
• The types of questions you asked to gather specific types of information.
• The meetings you created or attended to gather information, requirements, etc.
• Any research you had to perform.

Collaboration – Speak about:

• Your ability to cooperate and work with others – your interpersonal skills, flexibility, patience, being a good listener, being to work under deadlines and pressure, etc.
• Your sensitivity skills – understanding about confidentiality and propriety work that may need to be produced.
• Being able to work independently – knowing how to get started and knowing what to do.

Other suggestions:

• You can create a blog and have some of your writings displayed there if there are too many samples to bring to an interview. This will display your confidence and assuredness of your work.
• You can also create a video if the positions calls for training capabilities – this will display how you handle yourself as a presenter and within a group situation.
• One important factor is being able to speak about you, why you want the position, how you enjoy sharing information, being a great communicator, listener, analyzer, and how you enjoy working within the organizations environment. To paint a clear picture of the organization’s environment and philosophy, research the company before you go for the position. Practice the above suggestions and be able to speak about each of the items so that you will be relaxed and prepared.

How have you prepared for a technical writing interview?