Chapter 16 Summary
Devin DoyleWendy Sandstrom
This chapter is about process applications in technical communication in a particular process or steps in an action or process. It can also pertain to how something works, a process or explanation of how to do something. Sometimes includes technical information involving a decision. The definition according to Burnett is "the explanation of sequential actions to members of an audience who need enough details to understand an action or process, but not enough to necessarily enable them to complete it."
Process explanations differ from directions is the enabling of someone to do that particular action. It "identifies the general nature of the task; It provides an overview rather than focusing on details. These process explanations help an organization run smoothly, if it does not include enough or inaccurate information then particular problems can arise.
Using these process explanations come in many different aspects. Some ways are in reports, task manuals, orientation and training materials, marketing and promotional materials, and public information and education. In reports, whether online of print, provide background information usually in a particular order such as the technical description, the process explanation, and benefits or advantages. Task manuals is one of the more frequently used types of using process explanations. These pertain to things such as step-by-step instructions to complete a task. Orientation and training materials refer to mainly to new persons being introduced into something and often need an explanation why it needs to be done. Marketing and Promotional materials explain usually how something works. Public information and education are more general interest publications such as daily newspapers or web sites.
How to prepare a process explanations comes in steps such as defining the purpose, identifying the steps, visuals, diction, organization and format. When defining the purpose, think of who your audience is and their purpose for reading your document. The identification of the steps is basically the listing of the particular steps involved in the process explanation. Visuals pertain to which type of visuals you will use to illustrate the process. Diction is how will you verbalize the process or the language you use in the process. Finally, the organization and format includes things like the chronological order of the steps. Also includes headings, subheadings and other things that help the readers find their way through the document.
The book finally does a setup on examining a particular sample of a process explanation about developing low-cost roofing material. It also goes into the corrections and how to proofread a process explanation.
9 comments:
These last few chapters that we have had to read have all been beneficial to me; I have retained a lot of useful information. Chapter 16 seemed like an addition to chapter 15, it discussed the same audiences and how to always target your information or processes to them. This chapter has opened up my eyes a little to just how many technical documents/process applications there really are today. For example, I know and have read newspapers and periodicals, but I have never thought of them as a technical way to communicate information to a targeted audience. I have never considered the reading level they should be at or the complicity of the visuals in a newspaper. It is interesting to me to see everything put into action, I definitely feel more knowledgeable after reading these chapters.
On a quick side note- I remember discussing in a previous class of mine that the Playboy Magazine was written at a first grade level. Makes you think a little bit, doesn't it? I know I was surprised, until I rethought it.
Before reading this chapter I wasn’t too aware of or had even thought of process explanations in relation to technical communication. I thought the book did a great job in explaining how process explanations are used. The book gave a list of examples of process explanations. By giving these examples it gave me more knowledge of how reports, task manuals and so forth, are used with process explanation. As with anything that we’ve read about, you have to considerer the audience and how you want to organize the process explanation. I thought it was beneficial to read this part of the chapter where it discussed the preparation of the process. It gave me more of a sense of what actually goes into the preparation of a document that requires process explanation.
Something that I found interesting, but confusing at first was the difference between directions and explanation. I now understand that process explanation is a general overview of the task rather than a detailed overview.
Chapter 16 talks about creating process explanations. Reports are used to help audience understand technical processes. Some of the reports are task manuals, orientation and training materials, marketing and promotional materials, and public information and education. Process explanation is prepared by thinking about the audience and purpose, identifying the steps in th process, selecting or designing visuals, and organizing information.
Chapter 16 discussed process explanation. I thought this chapter was a necessary discussion of how to create a process and what the important factors are. I'm not a person that reads an instruction manual but, I usually always read the process of how something works.
Process Explanations will be very important to me when I graduate and start working. Explaining how to do a task is not always the full instructions of what needs to be done. I plan to work in the building business, so having knowledge without needing explanation will be a big advantage.
This chapter explains how processes should be described. Dont just describe what the end product should look like, explaing the exact steps needed (within the scope of your audience). This chapter reiterates that audiences should be your #1 priority when writing process information. If you lose the audience, than your document means nothing.
This chapter is also very useful. Always thinking of the audience when writing directions is necessary. It will be very benificial to recognize the difference between process explanations and directions.
Being able to explain things is important in communicating with people. When writing a paper or an instruction I always try to put myself in a frame of mind in which I believe my audience does not have the slightest clue as to what I am talking about. That in turn allows me to explain every specific point in detail and effectively get my point across.
This was a nice way of explaining the difference between a discription and a process explanation. Process explanations are general overviews of the steps included in making whatever product it is you deal with. They are kind of like science projects, if you record the steps diligently you will be able to replicate your work in the future and analyze exactly which pieces contributed to the finished product. These are great for synthesizing all of the parts of a final product. Audience consideration is a must and they should be able to follow your process from start to finish to fully understand the meaning in your presentation.
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