Chapter 2: Meeting the Needs of Specific Audiences

Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical Communication, 13th Edition

John M. LannonLaura J. Gurak

Chapter 2Meeting the Needs Meeting the Needs

of Specific Audiencesof Specific Audiences


Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Understand the key concepts of “audience” and “purpose”

Picture exactly who will use your document and why

Consider your audience’s technical background

Consider the audience’s cultural background Pinpoint the needs and goals of your

audience


Learning Objectives (continued)Learning Objectives (continued)

Identify the length, format, tone, and other qualities your audience prefers

Understand the concept of usability in relation to audience and purpose


AudienceAudience

All technical communication is intended for a specific audience. Before writing, identify precisely who will be reading the document and how they will use the material.


Analyze Your Document’s Analyze Your Document’s Audience and PurposeAudience and Purpose

Explore all you can about who will use your document, why they will use it, and how they will use it:

Who is the main audience for this document? Who else is likely to read it? What is your relationship with the audience? Are multiple types of relationships involved? What information does this audience need? How familiar might the audience be with technical

details?


Analyze Your DocumentAnalyze Your Document’’s s Audience and Purpose (continued)Audience and Purpose (continued)

Do these readers have varying levels of expertise? What culture or cultures does your audience

represent? How might cultural differences shape readers’

expectations and interpretations?


Primary and Secondary AudiencePrimary and Secondary Audience

When writing a technical document, keep two audiences in mind.Primary Audience: The immediate audience of readers.Secondary Audience: Individuals outside the immediate circle of people who will be needing the information directly.


Your Relationship to Your ReadersYour Relationship to Your Readers

Consider the following when you assess audience:Are they superiors, colleagues or subordinates?Are they inside or outside of your organization?Do you know them personally?Are they likely to welcome or resist your information?


Purpose of Your DocumentPurpose of Your Document

Spell out precisely what you want your document to accomplish and how you expect readers to use it—your purpose. What is the main purpose of the document?What other purpose or purposes does the document serve?What will readers do with this information?


Primary and Secondary PurposePrimary and Secondary Purpose

All documents have a primary purpose and a secondary purpose:Primary purpose: The document’s main purpose—to inform, to instruct, or to persuade.Secondary purpose: What else should the document do?


Intended Use of the DocumentIntended Use of the Document

Also consider how and why a document will be used by others:Do my readers simply want to learn facts or understand concepts?Will they use my information in making some type of decision?Will people act immediately on the information?Do they need step-by-step instructions?In my audience’s view, what is most important about this document?


Assess Your Audience’s Assess Your Audience’s Technical BackgroundTechnical Background

Decide whether your document should be highly technical, semitechnical, or nontechnical:


Identify the Audience’s Identify the Audience’s Cultural BackgroundCultural Background

Consider how cultural differences might create misunderstanding in any situation, and seek an approach that bridges these differences. Information needs and preferences often are culturally determined: being direct vs. being indirectusing a formal tone vs. using a friendly toneprioritizing individual contributions vs. prioritizing group contributions


Anticipate Your Anticipate Your Audience’s PreferencesAudience’s Preferences

Readers approach any document with certain preferences:Length and details: Do they want something comprehensive or short?Format and medium: Do they want a letter, memo, or short report. Do they want it delivered in hard copy or electronically?Tone: Do they expect your tone to be formal, semiformal, or informal?


Anticipate Your Audience’s Anticipate Your Audience’s Preferences (continued)Preferences (continued)

Due date and timing: Is there a deadline? How can you break down the deadline into milestones?

Budget: Does your document have a production budget? Where can you save money?


Develop an Audience and Develop an Audience and Use ProfileUse Profile

In order to focus sharply on your audience, purpose, and the many factors discussed in this chapter, develop your own version of the Audience and Use Profile Sheet and fill it out completely. This sheet will keep you focused as you write.


Check Your Document Check Your Document for Usabilityfor Usability

A usable document is safe, dependable, and easy to read and navigate. A usable document allows people to do three things:Easily locate the information they needUnderstand the information immediatelyUse the information safely and successfully


Review QuestionsReview Questions

1. What is the definition of audience?

2. What is the difference between a primary audience and a secondary audience?

3. What is the definition of purpose?

4. What is a document’s primary purpose vs. it’s secondary purpose or purposes?

5. What are the three types of audience in terms of their technical background?


Review Questions (continued)Review Questions (continued)

6. What do the three types of technical audience’s want?

7. What are three areas you need to consider regarding cultural differences?

8. What are the audience’s preferences you should consider when writing a document?

9. Why should you develop an audience and use profile sheet?

10. What is a usable document?

Chapter 2: Meeting the Needs of Specific Audiences

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