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9 Essential Technical Writing Skills Every Writer Must Possess (2024)

• Published: December 6, 2017
• Updated: August 8, 2024

What does it take to be a good technical writer?

Outside of obvious skills such as general writing and copyediting abilities, keeping up with the ever-changing trends in the technology space is critical.

While this may sound relatively straightforward, keeping up with the latest cutting-edge trends can be exhausting – with many people possessing personality types that find it difficult to accept new processes (ie. see the technology adoption curve .)

Many technical writers aren’t able to adapt to  digital transformation —whether in your organization or in their field in general—and many writers are changing career paths. To succeed, technical writers must rise to the changing demands and become key business contributors.

In this article, we’ll discuss what it takes to become an effective technical writer, the best skills and qualities these writers possess, and what prospective technical documentation writers should do to improve these skills.

What are the essential technical writing skills every tech writer must possess?

• Clear understanding and knowledge of your product
• In-depth knowledge of your product’s industry
• User persona targeting
• Technical documentation essentials
• Mastering the mode of communication
• Knowledge of technical writing software tools
• Basic graphic & web design skills
• Research skills
• Teamwork & working with others

How to Write Helpful Release Notes (+5 Examples)

12 Types of Technical Documentation +Examples (2024)

17 Best Software Documentation Tools in 2024

9 Important Technical Writing Skills to Know in 2024

Knowing how the role has changed over the past ten years, here are nine important technical writing skills to know if you’re pursuing a career in technical writing and documentation.

1. Clear understanding and knowledge of your product

A clear understanding of your product is the most important skill to possess for quality technical writing. This includes:

• product functions
• its key purpose and the solution it provides
• product performance, stability, and other non-functional aspects
• troubleshooting, repair, and replacement

Since technical writers view the product as a black box, it is not required for them to be familiar with internal components, design aspects, etc. Let’s take Facebook for example – you would need to know the FAQs for Facebook, but not that Facebook is written in PHP, C++, and D programming languages. You only need to have thorough knowledge on typical questions such as “how to post on Facebook”, “how to add friends”, etc.

However, when it comes to technical documentation for software platforms, there is an added dimension of integrating with other software products. In these cases, some amount of knowledge on the interfaces (hardware interfaces, software API) that the product has is essential.

2. In-depth knowledge of your product's industry

Unlike entry-level software programmers, it is not easy for technical writers to switch from one industry to another. This is because tech writers need to understand how products work, and products cannot work in isolation. They are often deployed as part of a larger solution in an overall business industry domain area.

An example is  HCM software . If I previously worked for Workday, I would have extensive knowledge of the HCM software space. If I left Workday for a new hospitality management software company, I would need to learn about an entirely new industry – the hotel and hospitality industry and digital transformation in hospitality .

Accumulated domain knowledge is an ace up the tech writers’ sleeve if they plan to work for similar types of companies and products. Companies should empower their technical writers with a product knowledge training strategy – and writers should take it upon themselves to understand their product offerings and industry well.

3. User persona targeting

It’s all about a personalized user experience.

Before products reach the market, the system tester and the technical writer act as proxy users. They install, configure, run and troubleshoot the product as per the defined specifications.

But users come in various forms. For many consumer products, we have a single user who might perform all related tasks to the product – think someone writing technical documentation for a microwave.

On the other hand, large-scale commercially deployed products will have many different types of users reading its technical documentation. An example would be a security surveillance system at a department store. The target user for an installation manual is an installation engineer and the target user for a troubleshooting guide is a service technician. They might even belong to different service companies.

Tech writers in many companies double up as UX (User Experience) engineers. The underlying skill required is:

• Installation, deployment, execution, maintenance time use case analysis
• B2B or B2C user profiling

B2B users are intermediaries, system integrators, or software platform developers. They know the system from within and are concerned with technical aspects such as Operating System environments, hardware specifications, programming APIs, build tools, test automation. Especially when multiple products and platforms are deployed as part of a composite solution.

B2C users are primarily laymen who just care about using the product as a black box. So product documentation must be from that perspective.

4. Technical documentation essentials

Technical writing has always been an integral part of the product lifecycle. Before the internet, technical documentation was the only way a company could communicate with a user at any point in the lifecycle phase.

The following diagram below illustrates various technical documents that product teams prepare for each phase.

It’s a smart idea to monitor  technical writing examples  from other brands in your industry or vertical to use as inspiration when creating new technical documents – or when analyzing how to improve yours.

5. Mastering the mode of communication

Physical products come with document booklets. On-premise software applications might include PDF documents on installation, usage, or maintenance. SaaS products could have  user documentation formats such as in-context web help, FAQs, pop-ups, and embedded videos within themselves.

Newer technology trends such as AR are making their way into everyday product tours, support centers, and documentation. Google’s street view is an example of superimposing help information on the product itself.

Mode of communication is determined by the user’s relationship with the product. A technical writer must be aware that the user function determines the mode of communication, not the other way around.

6. Experience with popular technical writing software tools

Document management, layout design, writing, audio-video editing – these are all tasks a technical writer may be asked to perform. Tools aiding each of these tasks are available – some free, some expensive. Depending on your company and product profile, the appropriate software tools will be needed.

These articles on the best technical writing software tools  and the best  technical documentation software  is a great place to get started.

7. Basic graphic & web design skills

Up until recently, technical writing was rudimentary and used basic text editor tools such as Notepad to create documentation. However new, innovative documentation and writing tools make it a point to include new interactive learning methods such as interactive graphics, in-app guidance, and better UX/UI navigation in their layout.

Having some knowledge of the basics of graphic design, as well as web design, is a technical writing skill that can set you apart in 2021.

8. Research skills

Understanding how to research a topic well enough that you’re an expert on that topic is crucial to being a good writer for any type of writing. That includes technical writers.

Technical writers need to have a full understanding of their product and target audience – and that is done through proper research and audience analysis. It also means a strong knowledge of data analysis, as well as how to present and capture data that holds up under scrutiny.

9. Teamwork and working with others

Teamwork is a critical skill for the success of any professional. For technical writers, being able to work well with your team means strong communication with programmers and developers to thoroughly explain the ins and outs of their product. It means transparent timelines and meeting deadlines with your project managers.

How the Responsibilities of a Technical Writer Have Changed

These transformations have pushed technical documentation from being an entry-level role to a critical, product-development-focused role. That means the job has transformed into a much more encompassing role that requires many additional skills outside of writing.

Here are four changes in technical writing in the past decade to know when pursuing a career in tech writing.

1. A shift from product-cetric to user-centric product teams

Product manufacturers previously focused on balancing product feature lists with cost and time-to-market considerations. However, this approach has a high product failure rate. So the concept of user-centered design and development evolved. Now, the product user and his requirements are the focal points around which the entire product development takes place.

2. Product documentation has widened to cover all phases of the product lifecycle

Technical documentation in the traditional sense referred to installation manuals and user guides. However, in the modern context, a technical writer could be contributing to a pre-research phase technical white paper, new  user training manual , or writing API documentation for software products.

3. Product documentation have diversified from text-based content into more audio-visual content

The attention span of users – especially in the digital world – has drastically dropped. If you cannot convey the key message within a few seconds, then the communication becomes ineffective. That is why visual content has become widely accepted as a preferred content style for documentation.

The availability of high-speed internet allows users to stream video, allowing documentation to be video-based. I would rather see a quick 1-minute video on “Unboxing my mobile phone” instead of sitting through and lengthy step-by-step installation manual.

4. Product documentation is moving from one-way static information to interactive communication

Gone are the days when help documentation would sound like a sermon, delivering the same content to users regardless of their experience levels, role, etc. For instance, a car maintenance manual would describe the entire process of “how to change a flat tire.” While a first-time car owner might find this helpful, an experienced mechanic would find this trivial to disrespectful. but a repeat user finds annoying.

Modern  technical writing tools  use AR and custom-content delivery to address this issue and deliver the right amount of information to the right user based on the user’s feedback and preferences. Interactive technical documentation tools such as  Whatfix  is a prime example of such tools.

For product managers, technical writers, and customer success teams, outdated methods of technical support and documentation no longer provide the experience users expect. With a digital adoption platform like Whatfix DAP, organizations are enabled with a no-code editor to:

• Create interactive user onboarding experiences like Tours and Tasks, segmented to different user groups.
• Drive advanced features adoption with Flows and Smart Tips.
• Announce new features, alert users to product updates, and promote new webinars and help resources with Pop-Ups, Beacons, and banners.
• Provide in-app, on-demand user support with Self Help. With Self Help integrates with your knowledge base, FAQs, LMS, user guides, and training resources to provide an in-app, searchable help center for your users.
• Analyze how users consume and engage with in-app content to help create new guided experiences to overcome areas of friction.
• Collect user feedback with in-app Surveys.

Ready to get started? Request a Whatfix demo!

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8. ORAL AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS

Oral presentations may be one of the most anxiety-inducing prospects for many students and professionals alike. Yet the ability to speak clearly and confidently and present ideas effectively in public is an important competency in the workplace.

Chapter 8 Learning Objectives

This chapter contains the following sections to help you develop confidence and skills in presenting information orally, both individually and as a team, and designing visually effective presentations:

8.1 Building Confidence as a Presenter

8.2 Developing Presentation Skills

• Systematic process for deliberate practice
• Designing visual aids: PowerPoint basics
• Visual rhetoric: For posters and other displays

8.3 Presenting as a Team

Technical Writing Essentials Copyright © by Suzan Last and UNH College of Professional Studies Online is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Technical Writer Skills

Learn about the skills that will be most essential for Technical Writers in 2024.

Getting Started as a Technical Writer

• What is a Technical Writer
• How To Become
• Certifications
• Tools & Software
• LinkedIn Guide
• Interview Questions
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Goals
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Examples

What Skills Does a Technical Writer Need?

Find the important skills for any job.

Types of Skills for Technical Writers

Writing proficiency and clarity, technical knowledge and understanding, user experience and audience awareness, information design and structuring, research and analytical skills, collaboration and communication, top hard skills for technical writers.

Crafting clear, accurate documentation by leveraging tools, standards, and design principles to meet the precise needs of users and developers.

• Proficiency in Technical Writing and Editing
• Knowledge of Documentation Software (e.g., MadCap Flare, Adobe FrameMaker)
• Understanding of Markup Languages (e.g., HTML, XML)
• Version Control and Collaboration Tools Expertise (e.g., Git, Confluence)
• API Documentation and Developer Tools Familiarity
• Information Architecture and Content Management
• Technical Research and Analysis
• Graphic Design and Visual Communication
• Usability Testing and User-Centered Design Principles
• Compliance with Industry Standards (e.g., ISO, IEEE)

Top Soft Skills for Technical Writers

Empowering clarity and user-focus through empathetic communication, meticulous research, and collaborative adaptability in dynamic documentation landscapes.

• Clear and Concise Communication
• Active Listening and Interviewing Skills
• Empathy and User Advocacy

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Research and Information Gathering

Attention to Detail

• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
• Time Management and Prioritization
• Continuous Learning and Professional Development

Most Important Technical Writer Skills in 2024

Proficiency in technical communication, understanding of user experience (ux) principles, expertise in documentation tools and technologies, adaptability to industry trends and tools, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Show the Right Skills in Every Application

Technical writer skills by experience level, important skills for entry-level technical writers, important skills for mid-level technical writers, important skills for senior technical writers, most underrated skills for technical writers, 1. active listening, 2. information design, 3. cross-functional communication, how to demonstrate your skills as a technical writer in 2024, how you can upskill as a technical writer.

• Master Advanced Documentation Tools: Stay proficient with the latest documentation software and platforms. Explore tools like MadCap Flare, Adobe FrameMaker, or API documentation frameworks like Swagger.
• Deepen Technical Expertise: Gain a stronger grasp of the technical domains you write about. Take courses in coding, software development, or other relevant technical fields to improve your understanding and credibility.
• Embrace Structured Authoring and Content Management: Learn about XML, DITA, and content management systems to create reusable, scalable content efficiently.
• Develop Video and Visual Communication Skills: With the rise of multimedia in documentation, learn to create instructional videos, diagrams, and infographics to complement your written content.
• Participate in Technical Writing Communities: Join organizations like the Society for Technical Communication (STC) to network, share knowledge, and stay informed about industry best practices.
• Enhance UX Writing Skills: Understand the principles of user experience (UX) to craft more user-centered documentation and interface text.
• Focus on Localization and Globalization: Learn about translation management systems and cultural nuances to prepare your content for a global audience.
• Practice Writing for Accessibility: Familiarize yourself with accessibility guidelines to ensure your documentation is usable by all, including those with disabilities.
• Seek Feedback and Peer Reviews: Regularly solicit constructive criticism on your work to identify areas for improvement and validate the clarity of your content.
• Attend Workshops and Webinars: Stay current with trends and innovations in technical communication by attending online and in-person events.

Skill FAQs for Technical Writers

What are the emerging skills for technical writers today, how can technical writers effectivley develop their soft skills, how important is technical expertise for technical writers.

Technical Writer Education

More Skills for Related Roles

Crafting compelling narratives, engaging audiences with powerful words and ideas

Crafting compelling narratives to drive brand engagement and consumer action

Shaping narratives, refining content to captivate audiences and uphold brand voice

Shaping compelling narratives, driving engagement through strategic content creation

Shaping brand narratives, driving engagement through compelling digital content

Shaping compelling narratives, refining content to engage readers and boost visibility

Start Your Technical Writer Career with Teal

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4.6 Presentations

Presentations are an interesting genre, since they can cover a variety of genres and purposes. Presentations provide the opportunity to present information in a multimodal format, and often require you to condense information for a broad audience. Within the very broad genre of “presentation” many genres fall with more specific conventions and constraints. Some examples include:

• Conference presentations
• Less formal meeting or business presentations (internal)

As technology continues to develop, you might consider other genres under the umbrella of “presentations,” including:

• Youtube videos

In this section, we talk about the specific genre of presentations, but we also focus on taking complex information (such as gathered in a formal report) and reworking, condensing, and remixing that information into a presentation, a website, a poster or infographic, or a podcast.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Just like with the other common genres that we’ve discussed so far, presentations are developed for a specific audience. So, you need to consider how your audience might best receive the information that you are working to communicate. Presentations are a great way to reach an audience, and as a communicator you get to explore various communication modes and approaches. As with anything else, what might work for one audience would not work for another audience; think back to the different ways to communicate the process of conducting a Covid-19 nasal test. Each example was effective, but only in the context of their intended audience.

Technical presentations are a specific genre that often take the complex, lengthy information included in a formal report and condenses and translates that information in a way that includes visual and audio communication modes. Consider why it is useful to present information in various ways (as a formal report and as a 5-10 minute presentation). How might presenting information in various ways or formats increase accessibility? How might developing a presentation work towards equity of information access?

When creating a presentation, the principles of universal design are important things to keep in mind. One example might be adding captions if you create a presentation that has any audio component. The captions are essential for any audience members who are hearing impaired, AND they make it easier to absorb content and understand the audio for your entire audience. Remember that universal design means that accessibility of information is an essential part of your presentation: do not think about accessibility after you’ve created your content, but work it in from the beginning and throughout your process.

Technical presentations

Technical presentations can vary quite a bit in length and content, depending on your purpose, audience, and context (remember that the rhetorical situation is always relevant!). Generally speaking, a technical presentation will:

• Condense a longer text, such as a formal report
• Summarize the most important, useful, or meaningful information from that text
• Use visuals, text, and audio together in order to tell a story

Most often, presentations work to inform, to persuade, or both. All the things that we’ve discussed so far are important to consider when you create a presentation, including plain language, document design, and considering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Just as with any other genre, to create an effective presentation, you must understand your audience.

Google Slides

These are only 3 of many free tutorials available online.

When creating effective presentation slides, be sure that you balance the amount of information on each slide. Consider how your audience is interacting with these slides: they are not likely sitting down with so much time to carefully read through each one. Rather, they may only have a minute to take in all the content. So, less is often better than putting too much text on any one slide. It’s also important to use a variety of visual modes–such as graphics and images–along with text.

The text that you choose should summarize key points, and the images should reinforce or illustrate those points. Do not make your audience take in large blocks of text. Instead, summarize key questions, data points, findings, and conclusions. Show them examples that help to illustrate these important points, but do not overwhelm them. You cannot include everything in a presentation that you would include in a lengthy report. Rather, you must choose the most important pieces so that your audience has a clear idea of what you want them to take away from your project.

When planning and creating audio, be sure that you do not simply read the text from our slides. Instead, you can use the audio portion of your presentation to further explain key concepts. Give your reader a bit more detail, but do not overwhelm them. A presentation works to create a narrative or tell a story. The audio and text should complement each other, but not be exactly the same (if you’ve ever attended a presentation where the presenter read each slide out loud, you know how uninteresting that can be!).

Finally, consider accessibility when you design your presentation. Create closed captions or subtitles when recording audio, and be sure to incorporate the principles of universal design. Try to imagine how to make information accessible to your audience in regards to your text, your use of language and terminology, your use of visuals and graphics, and your use of audio.

Message titles

On way to create stronger, more memorable presentations is through the use of  message titles  rather than  subject titles  for each slide. It’s important to use strong titles, and a message title delivers a full message to your reader. A subject title is briefer and less specific. An example of the difference between a message title and subject title might be:

Subject title: 

Covid-19 prevention

Message title: 

How can I protect myself from Covid-19?

A message title is generally more effective for audiences because it provides more information. Further, delivering a full message helps audiences to retain the information presented in that slide and it frames what you cover in that section of your presentation. Remember that audiences must  listen  to your presentation and  read  your slides at the same time. Subject titles provide information, but message titles helps audiences place that information into a more specific framework. A message title delivers your message in a more complete way.

Condensing and remixing

While most formal reports use some sort of presentation software and rely on a combination of slides (which contain visuals and text) and audio (which may be spoken live as you present to an audience or may be recorded ahead of time), there are other ways to remix and present information in a condensed and useful way. As technology develops, so does the presentation genre. For example, podcasts, videos, or websites might be useful in place of a technical presentation, again depending on the audience, purpose, and context.

If you are enrolled in WRIT 3562W, you are not asked to create a podcast or website; however, you may come across such genres and want to use them as sources in your own report. And, you will likely want to (or be asked to!) create a website or podcast someday. So how can you begin to take information presented in something like a formal report and revise, translate, and remix it for a completely different medium?

First, consider the rhetorical situation and reflect on your own experiences as a website user or a podcast listener. Which websites do you like best? Which podcasts do you enjoy? Then, do some reflection and analysis and consider the following questions:

• When interacting with a website, what features are most important to you? How are you typically interacting with content (do you want to be able to search for something specific, do you want something easy to skim, do you want to deeply read all the text, etc.)?
• Think of the easiest to navigate website you’ve visited recently; what specific features made it easy to navigate? How did it use text, images, alignment, repetition, contrast, colors, language to help you know how to find and understand information?
• Think of the most difficult to navigate website that you’ve ever visited; what made it difficult? What specific features can you identify or isolate that made it hard to find information?
• Consider your favorite podcast; how does the creator(s) organize the content and present information clearly? How long does it take to listen to? What environment do you usually listen to podcasts in (your car, at home, using headphones, on a speaker while you cook dinner…). What specific features can you identify or isolate that make it enjoyable?

These types of reflection questions help you to make decisions about the texts that you create. They are useful when considering conventions or strengths of specific genres, AND they are useful when you have to create a genre that is completely new to you. Remember that analyzing the rhetorical situation and genre conventions together make it manageable as you approach any new communication task.

Throughout this text, we’ve discussed technical communication as rhetorical, as always concerned with diversity, equity, and inclusion, how we define or set the boundaries for technical communication, and the conventions of common genres. As you continue your education and practice as a technical communicator, or as you approach any new communication situation, keep doing the work of analysis and reflection. Consider how each act of communication engages a specific audience for a specific purpose. Even the most seemingly objective genres require you to make choices: what information do you include, whose voices and experiences do you elevate, how do you take in feedback and revise your texts, how do you approach research in a way that reduces bias and incorporates marginalized experiences–these are all important pieces of the communication process. As technical communication continues to develop and evolve, and as technology and genres also change, keep these considerations in mind.

Activity and Reflection: Presenting information 

Together or with a partner, find a presentation (you can search YouTube for technical presentations or Ted Talks). Reflect on the following questions to perform a  rhetorical analysis  on the presentation:

• Who is the target audience for this presentation? How can you tell?
• What is the main purpose or goal of the presentation? How can you tell?
• What did you like about the presentation (be specific)? What features make it effective?
• What would you change, and why?
• How does the presentation use  text  and audio  together to deliver a message? How do these elements complement each other?

Introduction to Technical and Professional Communication Copyright © 2021 by Brigitte Mussack is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Technical writing is any writing about technical information. It can include, but is not limited to, preparation of technical manuals and handbooks about technology.

Technical writers need to have good writing skills, because they have to convey complex information. They also need a reasonable understanding of technology, because it is hard to explain something that you do not understand.

This page explains what we mean by technical writing, and discusses the skills required by technical writers.

What is Technical Writing?

Traditionally, technical writing focused on the documentation of processes, including through instruction manuals. However, the description is now broader.

There is no very precise definition (see box), but the term has come to mean any writing related to technology or technical processes.

Some definitions of technical writing

Technical writing is performed by a technical writer (or technical author) and is the process of writing and sharing technical information in a professional setting [Wikipedia]

Technical writing is simplifying the complex [Techwhirl.com]

Forms of technical writing may include white papers, instruction manuals, handbooks and product descriptions. Some people suggest that technical writing can also include press releases, reports, briefs and business proposals. These may certainly need some technical input. However, they are not usually written by technical writers.

The distinction is probably that these documents mention technology, but their purpose is not to simplify technology per se . For example, a press release may be about a particular piece of technology, and it may need to explain it simply, but its purpose is to ensure that journalists write about the technology.

An illustrious history

Technical writing has been recognised as a profession since the 1940s, and it expanded exponentially with the spread of computers during the second half of the twentieth century.

However, its history dates back much further. It could be argued, for example, that many of Leonardo Da Vinci’s papers are technical writing, since he was discussing and explaining technology. Some people also cite Geoffrey Chaucer’s Treatise on an Astrolabe as an early example of a technical document, and suggest that much of Aristotle’s writing was technical in its nature.

Technical Writing Style

Like any other form of writing, technical writing has its own particular style.

It tends towards:

Simplicity and conciseness

You may find this hard to believe if you have ever read a computer manual, but technical writers spend a considerable amount of time and effort keeping things as simple as possible. They try to keep their writing short, and also use short words and sentences to make documents easier to read. They also use the active voice, rather than passive, and avoid the use of jargon.

Technical writing aims for clarity above all.

A Word About Jargon

Avoiding jargon is difficult if you are an expert in your field.

However, many technical writers have the advantage that they are NOT necessarily experts in the technology. Instead, they are experts in writing .

Even so, as you become familiar with a subject, jargon tends to creep in. Avoid this by reading your work over carefully, or getting a non-technical colleague to review your writing to check it makes sense to someone with less knowledge.

You may also find it helpful to read our page on Using Plain English .

The second characteristic of technical writing is its accuracy. There is no room for ambiguity or errors in a technical document. Users do not want to be making expensive errors because the documentation was incorrect.

Technical writers therefore need to check everything.

If in doubt, the accuracy of a sentence must be checked with someone with more knowledge.

Audience-focused

Ultimately, every piece of writing should be written with its audience in mind. However, this is perhaps even more true of technical writing, because you need to consider your audience’s subject knowledge, which may vary widely. A document written for experts will be very different from one written for the general public.

There is more about this in our page Know Your Audience .

An objective, fact- and task-based approach

Technical writing is not emotive in style. It uses a very objective, fact-based approach, because it aims to convey information.

In technical writing that aims to convey instructions, documents will also be very task-based. They will focus on giving readers the information that they need to complete the task as easily as possible.

Careful consideration of design issues

Technical writers often have to do more than simply write. They also have to consider the design of their document to make it easier to read.

This includes the layout on the page, and the use of headings, subheadings, bullet points and numbered lists to break up the document. All these facilitate finding information rapidly, which is crucial in a technical document.

Technical writers also have to consider the use of illustrations such as pictures, graphs and tables as a way to convey information.

There is more about this in our page on Presenting Data .

They may therefore be considerably expert in using statistical tools and software to prepare technical illustrations.

Skills Required by Technical Writers

Technical writers require a wide range of skills. Many of these are similar to other writers, but there are also some very specific skills needed.

Technical writing skills include:

Extremely good written communication skills , and especially the ability to convey complex information in simple language, and to write very clearly.

An ability to grasp a technical subject quickly . Technical writers are not experts in everything. However, they usually have the ability to pick up and grasp technical subjects rapidly. They need to be able to understand enough to explain the issue simply to others.

A broad knowledge of technology . Technical writers usually have a broad but shallow understanding of a wide range of technology issues. This allows them to knit their knowledge together effectively with new information, and set their work in context.

A recognition of what they don’t know. Technical writers need to be able to consult with experts or do further research when necessary. They therefore need to understand the limitations of their own knowledge.

Knowledge and skill in various computer packages , including statistical software and design/illustration packages.

Good proofreading and editing skills. Finally, technical writers need to be able to read over their own documents and identify typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors . Technical documents need to be free of these errors, and look professional.

A Growing Area of Writing

Technical writers are needed to bridge the gap between technical experts and the general public, to explain technology in simple terms. As technology becomes even more complex, including through the use of artificial intelligence, this need will only grow.

Developing the skills needed to become a technical writer could well be a good investment in your future.

Continue to: Writing for the Internet Journalistic Writing

See also: Business Storytelling Coherence in Writing Understanding Large Language Models (LLMs)

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• Writing Tips

A Guide to Technical Writing (With Examples)

4-minute read

• 5th May 2023

You can find technical writing in lots of places, including in your home, at your job, in many industries, and in businesses of all sizes. If you need help with business writing specifically, check out how we can assist you .

In today’s post, we’ll break down what technical writing is and how to do it effectively. We’ll also provide some handy examples.

What Is Technical Writing?

Technical writing doesn’t always look very technical! It can be anything that describes how to do a task or how to operate a machine or system. Or it can cover a specialized topic. Technical writing includes recipes in your favorite cookbook, board game instructions, operator manuals, health and safety regulations, legal documents, and financial reports.

Instructions for Carrying Out a Task

This type of technical writing can be a recipe for a cake, the instructions for a board game, tips on how to walk your dog to heel, or the script for a social media video on how to cut your own hair.

Operating Manuals for Machinery, Appliances, or Systems

Technical writing can also be the user guide for a dishwasher, for a factory machine that makes cardboard boxes, a “how to” guide for spreadsheets, or instructions for changing the oil in your motorcycle.

Specialized Topics

The list here could be very, very long! Technical writing on specialized topics includes a company’s business reports, a medical consultant’s letter to a patient, health and safety regulations, employment policies, and legal documents.

So How Do I Produce a Great Piece of Technical Writing?

Let’s take it in three stages: Who? What? How?

Who Is It For?

In any type of writing, knowing your audience is important. This is particularly true of technical writing. Here are some examples of who might read technical writing:

·  A renter of an apartment that needs details on their lease

·  An electrical engineer who needs to know how the wiring is laid out in the apartment block

·  The janitor of that same building who needs to know the location of the emergency lights

·  The occupant of apartment 61, who needs to know how to use the oven in their kitchen

They all need information presented to them, but what information do they need?

What Do They Need?

The renter needs a legal document that leaves no room for doubt about their legal rights and obligations and those of their landlord. The document will be very detailed, containing terms that need careful explanation.

The electrical engineer needs accurate, clear information about the wiring, as they could get hurt or cause harm to someone else if the diagram is inaccurate.

The janitor needs clear directions and a map of where the emergency lights are.

The occupant of apartment 61 needs instructions that are written in plain English so they can use their oven safely.

How Should Technical Writing Be Composed?

Follow these steps when writing a technical document:

·  Research and know your subject thoroughly.

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·  Decide on the appropriate writing style. Just because it’s technical, doesn’t mean it has to contain lots of jargon . Be concise, be direct, and be straightforward.

·  Consider whether you need to include diagrams, maps, images, charts, and/or tables.

·  If writing instructions, take it one step at a time, write objectively , and make sure the instructions work!

Examples of Technical Writing

Let’s look at some examples:

The first version contains unnecessary words, but the warnings are not specific enough. The instructions should be concise and clear. In the second version, the danger is stated right away, and the critical warnings are concise and specific.

In these examples, the first version is unnecessarily wordy. It provides a lot of detail for minor tasks but gives vague instructions for bigger tasks. The second version is much clearer. The instructions are easier to follow, and they include each necessary step.

Good technical writing needs the following attributes:

1. Relevance

2. Accuracy

4. Accessibility

5. Simplicity

Really good technical writing will include these attributes every time.

Is technical writing difficult?

Technical writing does not have to be difficult if you follow our guide and do your research beforehand.

Are there professional bodies for technical writers?

There are several professional organizations for technical writing. This list from UTA Libraries is very useful.

What can I do if I’m not sure that my technical writing style is appropriate to my subject?

We have experts in many fields who can check your writing and advise on style .

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8. ORAL AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS

8.2 Developing Presentation Skills

Suzan Last and Monika Smith

Like any kind of advanced communication skill, the art of giving effective presentations is not in-born; it requires deliberate practice — that is, systematic practice that requires focused attention on improving, and making use of feedback from others to help you do so. An excellent way to learn more about delivering effective presentations is to follow a systematic process:

• Observe others
• Study their strategies and reflect on their effectiveness
• Select and practice strategies that will work for you; reflect and get feedback from others.

Step 1: Observation

You can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers “work the room” and engage their audience. Observe what they do. How do they use their voice as a tool of communication? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection? What do they do with their hands? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, either in person or on media: identify what they do, make note of what you think works well and what doesn’t, then put what you’ve learned into practice.

As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they’re talking about—or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid—a dull monotonous tone, for example—as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.

EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action

Whether observing your favourite professor give a lecture; watching your favourite podcaster, TV or YouTube presenter; or viewing the videos linked below, turn your observations into an active learning experience: create a list of what the speakers do well as speakers , and then use them as role models. The goal is to create a toolkit of practical tips, approaches, and ideas for building confidence, developing your own “spark” as public speaker, and engaging your audience. In short, watch, observe, and learn.

Here are some public speakers on film that you may enjoy watching and learning from:

• Really achieving your childhood dreams by Randy Pausch, [1] computer scientist (Carnegie Mellon). As you watch the video, make note not simply of what he says, but how he says it.
• “The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout” by Rick Rigsby [2]
• “The Joy of Stats” by Hans Rosling [3] offers an engaging and inspiring description of 250,000 data points from over 200 years for 200 countries—in 4 minutes flat!

Step 2: Study and Reflect

Learning from experts who lay out a set of simple techniques is a confidence builder because it shows that great speakers are made, not born. With deliberate practice, anyone can do this. There are no mysteries, just specific, applicable strategies that anyone can adopt to establish rapport with an audience and make a meaningful impact.

Here are some more great online resources to help you develop further:

• Advanced Public Speaking Institute (Tips )
• Toastmasters 5 tips for public speaking (YouTube)
• 10 Most Common Rookie Mistakes in Public Speaking – Terry Gault (Prezi Blog)
• The Power of your Hands – Allan Pease (TED)
• How to Sound Smart in your TED Talk − Will Stephen (TED)
• How I Overcame my Fear of Public Speaking − Danish Dhamani (TED)

EXERCISE 8.2

Take notes from the sources while you study them.  Making written notes about points you want to remember can be an effective way to promote deep learning. As you watch each of the videos, identify 2-3 key tips. If you are doing this activity in class, share your “top two” tips with classmates and make note of their “top two” tips in turn.

Then consider the value of the tips and strategies you’ve compiled. What makes them seem to work so well and, equally important, how could you feasibly incorporate them into your presentations to make them your own?

Step 3: Select, Practice and Assess your Progress

Now that you have identified strategies that you find effective and think might work for you, try putting them into practice.  See if they add some extra “oomph” to your presentation style. Afterwards, either by engaging in self-reflection, or by asking for feedback, consider how well these strategies worked for you and whether you need to further hone, adapt, or change the way you used them.

Videos are helpful because they not only provide information, but visually demonstrate the ideas (both showing and telling); however, you can also learn from many books on the subject. Here are four classic books by public speaking experts designed to help you develop your own strong presentation skills. By focusing on aspects such as“voice,” or by getting you to create effective slideshows, they offer a range of practical, “tried and tested” approaches designed to help you build confidence, speak fluently, and hold an audience’s attention with relevant, well designed visuals.

• Lilyan Wilder, 7 Steps to Fearless Speaking offers a lively, straightforward “how to” approach to public speaking, paying special attention to what to do before you even get on stage to deliver your talk. In short, according to Lilyan Wilder, it’s all about preparation. Wilder’s seven steps have been used by many successful public figures, including George H.W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Fortune 500 CEO’s, as well as network anchors at CNN, CBS, and more!
• Lee LeFever, The Art of Explanation: Making your Ideas, Products, and Services Easier to Understand invites you to become an “explanation specialist” by using simple elements to motivate your audience and inspire them to say “yes!” to your designs and ideas.
• Garr Reynolds, PresentationZen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery provides a clear, easy-to-read set of tips for cutting through the noise and blather of modern life and reaching an audience through simple, pared-down slides and story-telling:  two techniques that can help you connect with and inspire your audience in an authentic, genuine way.
• Nancy Duarte, Slide:ology: T he Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations looks to the role of presentation software in the visualization of ideas and information. Its goal is to turn you into a “visual thinker” so you can design presentation graphics that enable your audience to easily and effectively process data—an especially valuable skill for technical presenters who often have to convey complex data in meaningful ways to non-technical audiences.

EXERCISE 8.3 Build your repertoire

Visual Aids – PowerPoint Basics

Even the most dynamic speakers often make use of visual aids to accompany their presentation and help illustrate their ideas. Having well designed visuals as part of your presentation is one way for beginners and those honing their skills can add interest and audience engagement to their talks. PowerPoint is probably the most common form of visual aid used in presentations, so much discussion has been focused on the pros and cons of this medium. Indeed, a Google search of “death by PowerPoint” brings up over 90 million results!

While there are many other presentation tools out there that you should explore (and perhaps present to your classmates or colleagues in your own presentation!), PowerPoint is a standard workplace tool, so it would be wise to gain proficiency with it. The key concept to remember is that your visual aids should supplement and illustrate what you want to say to your audience. YOU are the presenter; your slides illustrate and amplify what you want to say.

PowerPoint Terminology

When designing a PowerPoint presentation, it is helpful to be familiar with key terminology used to discuss the various elements. Here are a few terms to get started:

• Deck :  the entire presentation (all the slides in the presentation; see Figure 8.2.1) .

• Gloss :  what the speaker says about each slide. The speaker should not simply read what is on the slide. Slides should have minimal text in the form of key words and short bullet points. They might include key quotations. Speakers should elaborate on what is written or shown on the slide in their gloss.
• Slide :  one “page” of the presentation ( Figure 8.2.2 shows one slide from the deck above) with the various elements identified.

• Slide Titles :  usually at the top of the slide, the title acts as a “heading” indicating the topic to be discussed in each slide.
• Body Text:   written text on the slide, often in the form of bullet points or key terms. This text should be kept to a minimum (key words/phrases; quotations you want to read out loud). Don’t write your “script” in the slide’s body text.
• Exhibits :  illustrative graphics on the slides that are glossed in the presentation. You should discuss graphics and explain what is important about them.
• Decorative Graphics : Slide motifs, themes, and other non-essential images that add visual appeal to the slides, but do not illustrate substantive ideas.
• Notes : The section underneath the slide where you can write notes you want to cover in your gloss. The audience will not see the “notes” portion.

Click on the Sample PowerPoint Presentations listed below to see detailed examples of PowerPoint decks.

PowerPoint Presentation on PRESENTATIONS (.ppt)

Tuckman’s Model of Team Formation – Sample student presentation (.ppt)

Definitions in Technical Writing – Sample student presentation (.pdf) (Created by Isaac Morton)

Visual Rhetoric

PowerPoint is not the only visual medium you might use. Pamphlets, posters, billboards, and other kinds of displays can also work to effectively convey your message if they are well designed. Considering how to present ideas visually can be as important as determining what to say. Here are some resources to help you design visual information in a rhetorically effective way:

Visual Rhetoric page from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University

Rule of Thirds (Wikipedia)

Colour Theory (University of Saskatchewan Pressbooks)

Psychology of Font Choices (The Daily Egg)

• R. Pausch, “Really achieving your childhood dreams, Sept. 18, 2007 Youtube [Online]: Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ↵
• R. Rigsby, “The wisdom of a third grade dropout will change your life,” Oct. 2017, Youtube [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g ↵
• H. Rosling, “The joy of stats,” Nov. 26, 2010, YouTube [Online]. Available: https://youtu.be/jbkSRLYSojo ↵
• Keithonearth, [Bicycle image embedded in slide]. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derailleur_gears#/media/File:Derailleur_Bicycle_Drivetrain.svg . CC BY-SA 3.0 . ↵

Technical Writing Essentials Copyright © 2019 by Suzan Last and Monika Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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8.2 Developing Presentation Skills

Suzan Last and Monika Smith

Like any kind of advanced communication skill, the art of giving effective presentations is not in-born; it requires deliberate practice . An excellent way to learn more about delivering effective presentations is to follow a systematic process:

• Observe others
• Study their strategies and reflect on their effectiveness
• Select and practice strategies that will work for you; reflect and get feedback from others.

Step 1: Observation

You can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers “work the room” and engage their audience. Observe what they do. How do they use their voice to make it work as a tool of communication? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection? What do they do with their hands? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, either in person or on media: identify what they do, make note of what you feel works well and what doesn’t, then put what you’ve learned into practice.

As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they’re talking about—or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid—a dull monotonous tone, for example—as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.

EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action

Whether observing your favourite professor give a lecture; watching your favourite podcaster, TV or YouTube presenter; or viewing the videos linked below, turn your observations into an active learning experience: create a list of what the speakers do well as speakers , and then use them as role models. The goal is to create a toolkit of practical tips, approaches, and ideas for building confidence, developing your own “spark” as public speaker, and engaging your audience. In short, watch, observe, and learn.

Here are some public speakers on film that you may enjoy watching and learning from:

• Really achieving your childhood dreams by Randy Pausch, [1] computer scientist (Carnegie Mellon). As you watch the video, make note not simply of what he says, but how he says it.
• “The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout” by Rick Rigsby [2]
• “The Joy of Stats” by Hans Rosling [3] offers an engaging and inspiring description of 250,000 data points from over 200 years for 200 countries—in 4 minutes flat!

Watch the video of Randy Pausch and note the 13 tips that will help make your presentations better. The video will pause when the tip comes up on the screen, once you have read it, click the play button to continue.

This is a long video but the information and interactions end at approximately the 12 minute mark. You do not need to watch past this point but we encourage you to because it’s a great video. Watch Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dream .

Step 2: Study and Reflect

Learning from experts who lay out a set of simple techniques is a confidence builder because it shows that great speakers are made, not born. With deliberate practice, anyone can do this. There are no mysteries, just specific, applicable strategies that anyone can adopt to establish rapport with an audience and make a meaningful impact.

Here are some more great online resources to help you develop further:

• Advanced Public Speaking Institute (Tips )
• Toastmasters 5 tips for public speaking (YouTube)
• 10 Most Common Rookie Mistakes in Public Speaking – Terry Gault (Prezi Blog)
• The Power of your Hands – Allan Pease (TED)
• How to Sound Smart in your TED Talk − Will Stephen (TED)
• How I Overcame my Fear of Public Speaking − Danish Dhamani (TED)

EXERCISE 8.2

Take notes from the sources while you study them.  Making written notes about points you want to remember is an effective way to promote deep learning. As you watch each of the videos, identify 2-3 key tips. If you are doing this activity in class, share your “top two” tips with classmates and make note of their “top two” tips in turn.

Then consider the value of the tips and strategies you’ve compiled. What makes them seem to work so well and, equally important, how could you feasibly incorporate them into your presentations to make them your own?

Step 3: Select, Practice and Assess your Progress

Now that you have identified strategies that you find effective and think might work for you, try putting them into practice.  See if they add some extra “oomph” to your presentation style. Afterwards, either by engaging in self-reflection, or by asking for feedback, consider how well these strategies worked for you and whether you need to further hone, adapt, or change the way you used them.

Videos are helpful because they not only provide information, but visually demonstrate the ideas (both showing and telling); however, you can also learn from many books on the subject. Here are four classic books by public speaking experts designed to help you develop your own strong presentation skills. By focusing on aspects such as“voice,” or by getting you to create effective slideshows, they offer a range of practical, “tried and tested” approaches designed to help you build confidence, speak fluently, and hold an audience’s attention with relevant, well designed visuals.

• Lilyan Wilder, 7 Steps to Fearless Speaking offers a lively, straightforward “how to” approach to public speaking, paying special attention to what to do before you even get on stage to deliver your talk. In short, according to Lilyan Wilder, it’s all about preparation. Wilder’s seven steps have been used by many successful public figures, including George H.W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Fortune 500 CEO’s, as well as network anchors at CNN, CBS, and more!
• Lee LeFever, The Art of Explanation: Making your Ideas, Products, and Services Easier to Understand invites you to become an “explanation specialist” by using simple elements to motivate your audience and inspire them to say “yes!” to your designs and ideas.
• Garr Reynolds, PresentationZen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery provides a clear, easy-to-read set of tips for cutting through the noise and blather of modern life and reaching an audience through simple, pared-down slides and story-telling:  two techniques that can help you connect with and inspire your audience in an authentic, genuine way.
• Nancy Duarte, Slide:ology: T he Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations looks to the role of presentation software in the visualization of ideas and information. Its goal is to turn you into a “visual thinker” so you can design presentation graphics that enable your audience to easily and effectively process data—an especially valuable skill for technical presenters who often have to convey complex data in meaningful ways to non-technical audiences.

EXERCISE 8.3 Build your repertoire

Visual Aids – PowerPoint Basics

Even the most dynamic speakers often make use of visual aids to accompany their presentation and help illustrate their ideas. Having well designed visuals as part of your presentation is one way for beginners and those honing their skills can add interest and audience engagement to their talks. PowerPoint is probably the most common form of visual aid used in presentations, so much discussion has been focused on the pros and cons of this medium.  Indeed, a Google search of “death by PowerPoint” brings up over 90 million results!

While there are many other presentation tools out there that you should explore (and perhaps present to your classmates or colleagues in your own presentation!), PowerPoint is a standard workplace tool, so it would be wise to gain proficiency with it.  The key concept to remember is that your visual aids should supplement and illustrate what you want to say to your audience.

PowerPoint Terminology

When designing a PowerPoint presentation, it is helpful to be familiar with key terminology used to discuss the various elements.

• Deck : the entire presentation (all the slides in the presentation; see Figure 8.2.1) .

• Gloss : what the speaker says about each slide. The speaker should not simply read what is on the slide. Slides should have minimal text in the form of key words and short bullet points. It might include key quotations. The speaker should elaborate on what is written or shown on the slide.
• Slide :  one “page” of the presentation ( Figure 8.2.2 shows one slide from the deck above) with the various elements identified.

• Slide Titles :  usually at the top of the slide, the titles acts as “headings” indicating the topic to be discussed in each slide.
• Body Text:   written text on the slide, often in the form of bullet points or key terms. This text should be kept to a minimum (key words/phrases; quotations you want to read out loud). Don’t write your “script” in the slide’s body text.
• Exhibits :  illustrative graphics on the slides that are glossed in the presentation. You should discuss graphics and explain what is important about them.
• Decorative Graphics : Slide motifs, themes, and other non-essential images that add visual appeal to the slides, but do not illustrate substantive ideas.
• Notes : The section underneath the slide where you can write notes you want to cover in your gloss. The audience will not see the “notes” portion.

Click on the Sample PowerPoint Presentations listed below to see detailed examples of PowerPoint decks.

Sample PowerPoint Presentations

PowerPoint Presentation on PRESENTATIONS [PPTX]

Tuckman’s Model of Team Formation – Sample student presentation [PPTX]

Definitions in Technical Writing – Sample student presentation [PPTX] (Created by Isaac Morton)

Visual Rhetoric

PowerPoint is not the only visual medium you might use.  Pamphlets, posters, billboards, and other kinds of displays can also work to effectively convey your message if they are well designed.  Considering how to present ideas visually can be as important as determining what to say. Here are some resources to help you design visual information in a rhetorically effective way:

• Visual Rhetoric page from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University
• Rule of Thirds (Wikipedia)
• Color theory (Tiger Color)
• Psychology of Font Choices (The Daily Egg)

Media Attributions

• Figure 8.2.1  PowerPoint Deck by Suzan Last is licensed under a  CC BY 4.0 licence .
• Figure 8.2.2 PowerPoint slide. A modern road bicycle drivetrain with front and rear derailleurs embedded in slide by Keithonearth is licensed under a  CC BY-SA 3.0 licence .
• R. Pausch, “Really achieving your childhood dreams, Sept. 18, 2007 Youtube [Online]: Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ↵
• R. Rigsby, “The wisdom of a third grade dropout will change your life,” Oct. 2017, Youtube [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g ↵
• H. Rosling, “The joy of stats,” Nov. 26, 2010, YouTube [Online]. Available: https://youtu.be/jbkSRLYSojo ↵

Technical Writing Essentials - H5P Edition Copyright © 2022 by Suzan Last and Monika Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

8 8.2 Developing Presentation Skills

Suzan Last and Monika Smith

Like any kind of advanced communication skill, the art of giving effective presentations is not in-born; it requires deliberate practice . An excellent way to learn more about delivering effective presentations is to follow a systematic process:

• Observe others
• Study their strategies and reflect on their effectiveness
• Select and practice strategies that will work for you; reflect and get feedback from others.

Step 1: Observation

You can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers “work the room” and engage their audience. Observe what they do. How do they use their voice to make it work as a tool of communication? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection? What do they do with their hands? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, either in person or on media: identify what they do, make note of what you feel works well and what doesn’t, then put what you’ve learned into practice.

As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they’re talking about—or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid—a dull monotonous tone, for example—as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.

EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action

Whether observing your favourite professor give a lecture; watching your favourite podcaster, TV or YouTube presenter; or viewing the videos linked below, turn your observations into an active learning experience: create a list of what the speakers do well as speakers , and then use them as role models. The goal is to create a toolkit of practical tips, approaches, and ideas for building confidence, developing your own “spark” as public speaker, and engaging your audience. In short, watch, observe, and learn.

Here are some public speakers on film that you may enjoy watching and learning from:

• Really achieving your childhood dreams by Randy Pausch, [1] computer scientist (Carnegie Mellon). As you watch the video, make note not simply of what he says, but how he says it.
• “The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout” by Rick Rigsby [2]
• “The Joy of Stats” by Hans Rosling [3] offers an engaging and inspiring description of 250,000 data points from over 200 years for 200 countries—in 4 minutes flat!

Step 2: Study and Reflect

Learning from experts who lay out a set of simple techniques is a confidence builder because it shows that great speakers are made, not born. With deliberate practice, anyone can do this. There are no mysteries, just specific, applicable strategies that anyone can adopt to establish rapport with an audience and make a meaningful impact.

Here are some more great online resources to help you develop further:

• Advanced Public Speaking Institute (Tips )
• Toastmasters 5 tips for public speaking (YouTube)
• 10 Most Common Rookie Mistakes in Public Speaking – Terry Gault (Prezi Blog)
• The Power of your Hands – Allan Pease (TED)
• How to Sound Smart in your TED Talk − Will Stephen (TED)
• How I Overcame my Fear of Public Speaking − Danish Dhamani (TED)

EXERCISE 8.2

Take notes from the sources while you study them.  Making written notes about points you want to remember is an effective way to promote deep learning. As you watch each of the videos, identify 2-3 key tips. If you are doing this activity in class, share your “top two” tips with classmates and make note of their “top two” tips in turn.

Then consider the value of the tips and strategies you’ve compiled. What makes them seem to work so well and, equally important, how could you feasibly incorporate them into your presentations to make them your own?

Step 3: Select, Practice and Assess your Progress

Now that you have identified strategies that you find effective and think might work for you, try putting them into practice.  See if they add some extra “oomph” to your presentation style. Afterwards, either by engaging in self-reflection, or by asking for feedback, consider how well these strategies worked for you and whether you need to further hone, adapt, or change the way you used them.

Videos are helpful because they not only provide information, but visually demonstrate the ideas (both showing and telling); however, you can also learn from many books on the subject. Here are four classic books by public speaking experts designed to help you develop your own strong presentation skills. By focusing on aspects such as“voice,” or by getting you to create effective slideshows, they offer a range of practical, “tried and tested” approaches designed to help you build confidence, speak fluently, and hold an audience’s attention with relevant, well designed visuals.

• Lilyan Wilder, 7 Steps to Fearless Speaking offers a lively, straightforward “how to” approach to public speaking, paying special attention to what to do before you even get on stage to deliver your talk. In short, according to Lilyan Wilder, it’s all about preparation. Wilder’s seven steps have been used by many successful public figures, including George H.W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Fortune 500 CEO’s, as well as network anchors at CNN, CBS, and more!
• Lee LeFever, The Art of Explanation: Making your Ideas, Products, and Services Easier to Understand invites you to become an “explanation specialist” by using simple elements to motivate your audience and inspire them to say “yes!” to your designs and ideas.
• Garr Reynolds, PresentationZen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery provides a clear, easy-to-read set of tips for cutting through the noise and blather of modern life and reaching an audience through simple, pared-down slides and story-telling:  two techniques that can help you connect with and inspire your audience in an authentic, genuine way.
• Nancy Duarte, Slide:ology: T he Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations looks to the role of presentation software in the visualization of ideas and information. Its goal is to turn you into a “visual thinker” so you can design presentation graphics that enable your audience to easily and effectively process data—an especially valuable skill for technical presenters who often have to convey complex data in meaningful ways to non-technical audiences.

EXERCISE 8.3 Build your repertoire

Visual Aids – PowerPoint Basics

Even the most dynamic speakers often make use of visual aids to accompany their presentation and help illustrate their ideas. Having well designed visuals as part of your presentation is one way for beginners and those honing their skills can add interest and audience engagement to their talks. PowerPoint is probably the most common form of visual aid used in presentations, so much discussion has been focused on the pros and cons of this medium.  Indeed, a Google search of “death by PowerPoint” brings up over 90 million results!

While there are many other presentation tools out there that you should explore (and perhaps present to your classmates or colleagues in your own presentation!), PowerPoint is a standard workplace tool, so it would be wise to gain proficiency with it.  The key concept to remember is that your visual aids should supplement and illustrate what you want to say to your audience.

PowerPoint Terminology

When designing a PowerPoint presentation, it is helpful to be familiar with key terminology used to discuss the various elements.

• Deck :  the entire presentation (all the slides in the presentation; see Figure 8.2.1) .

• Gloss :  what the speaker says about each slide.  The speaker should not simply read what is on the slide. Slides should have minimal text in the form of key words and short bullet points. It might include key quotations. The speaker should elaborate on what is written or shown on the slide.
• Slide :  one “page” of the presentation ( Figure 8.2.2 shows one slide from the deck above) with the various elements identified.

• Slide Titles :  usually at the top of the slide, the titles acts as “headings” indicating the topic to be discussed in each slide.
• Body Text:   written text on the slide, often in the form of bullet points or key terms. This text should be kept to a minimum (key words/phrases; quotations you want to read out loud). Don’t write your “script” in the slide’s body text.
• Exhibits :  illustrative graphics on the slides that are glossed in the presentation. You should discuss graphics and explain what is important about them.
• Decorative Graphics : Slide motifs, themes, and other non-essential images that add visual appeal to the slides, but do not illustrate substantive ideas.
• Notes : The section underneath the slide where you can write notes you want to cover in your gloss. The audience will not see the “notes” portion.

Click on the Sample PowerPoint Presentations listed below to see detailed examples of PowerPoint decks.

PowerPoint Presentation on PRESENTATIONS (.ppt)

Tuckman’s Model of Team Formation – Sample student presentation (.ppt)

Definitions in Technical Writing – Sample student presentation (.pdf) (Created by Isaac Morton)

Visual Rhetoric

PowerPoint is not the only visual medium you might use.  Pamphlets, posters, billboards, and other kinds of displays can also work to effectively convey your message if they are well designed.  Considering how to present ideas visually can be as important as determining what to say. Here are some resources to help you design visual information in a rhetorically effective way:

Visual Rhetoric page from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University

Rule of Thirds (Wikipedia)

Color theory (Tiger Color)

Psychology of Font Choices (The Daily Egg)

• R. Pausch, “Really achieving your childhood dreams, Sept. 18, 2007 Youtube [Online]: Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ↵
• R. Rigsby, “The wisdom of a third grade dropout will change your life,” Oct. 2017, Youtube [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g ↵
• H. Rosling, “The joy of stats,” Nov. 26, 2010, YouTube [Online]. Available: https://youtu.be/jbkSRLYSojo ↵
• Keithonearth, [Bicycle image embedded in slide]. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derailleur_gears#/media/File:Derailleur_Bicycle_Drivetrain.svg . CC BY-SA 3.0 . ↵

Technical Writing Essentials Copyright © 2019 by Suzan Last and Monika Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.