Technical Descriptions

Technical description—Manufacturers use technical descriptions to describe their products for patents, quality control, and sales. These descriptions are often used to establish an archetype, or ideal, against which future products can be measured and tested.

Specifications (often referred to as the "specs") —Engineers write specifications to describe a product in great detail, providing exact information about features, dimensions, power requirements, capacities, and other qualities. (Note: Specifications are also used to describe step-by-step how a product is assembled or a task is completed).

Field notes—Naturalists, anthropologists, sociologists, and others use field notes to help them accurately describe people, animals, and places.

Observations—Scientists and medical personnel need to make detailed observations. For example, medical doctors need to describe their patients' conditions in great detail. These observations help them keep track of changes in their patients' symptoms.

Computers have enhanced our abilities to describe things. With a laptop or per​sonal digital assistant (PDA), you can write descriptions in the field, in the labora​tory, or at your worktable. These on-site descriptions can be far more accurate than ones re-created from written notes. Also, computers allow you to enhance your description with page layout software, graphics, and even audio and video. With these enhancements, you can present a highly detailed description of things, places, and processes.

Look around and you will find that descriptions appear in almost every technical document, including experimental reports, user's manuals, reference materials, proposals, marketing literature, magazine articles, and conference presentations. Knowing how to write technical descriptions will likely be an important part of your career.

Basic Features of Technical Descriptions

A technical description can stand alone or be part of a larger document. A stand​alone technical description is a separate document with its own introduction, body, and conclusion. This kind of description will generally have the following features:

• specific and precise title

• introduction with an overall description

• description of features, functions, or stages of a process

• use of senses, similes, analogies, and metaphors

• use of graphics

• conclusion that shows the thing, place, or process in action

Planning and Researching Technical Descriptions

During the planning and researching phase, you should identify what kinds of information your readers need to know, how they will use that information, and the con​texts in which they will use it. Then, you need to research the subject to collect the content for your description.

Planning

Technical descriptions are written for a variety of people and uses. So, as you begin planning your description, it is important that you first have a good understanding of the situation in which your description will be used. A good way to start is to first consider the Five-W and How Questions that will be important in your description.

Who might need this description?

Why is this description needed?

What details and facts should the description include?

Where will the description be used?

When will the description be used?

How will this description be used?

Once you have briefly answered these questions, you are ready to start defining the subject, purpose, readers, and context of your description.

SUBJECT Technical descriptions tend to be written about three types of subjects: ob​jects, places, or processes. As you study your subject, define its boundaries and major characteristics.

PURPOSE Ask yourself what your description should achieve. Do you want it to provide exact detail? Or, are you just trying to familiarize your readers with the subject?

In one sentence, write down the purpose of your description. Here are some verbs that might help you write that sentence:

to describe to represent

to illustrate to clarify

to show to reveal

to depict to explain

to characterize to portray

Your purpose statement might say something like the following:

The purpose of this description is to show how a fuel cell generates power.

In this description, I will explain the basic features of the International Space Station.

 

You should be able to write your purpose statement in one sentence. If it goes beyond one sentence, you likely need to be more specific about what you are trying to achieve.

READERS Technical descriptions tend to be written for readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. So, your job is to help them understand it by using terms and images that they will find familiar. You will also need to adjust the detail and com​plexity of your description to suit their specific interests and needs.

Primary readers (action takers) are readers who most need to understand your description. What information do they need to know to make a deci​sion about your product, place, or process?

Secondary readers (advisors) will likely be experts in your area. They may be engineers, technicians, or scientists who are advising the primary readers about the strengths and weaknesses of the product, place, or process. How much technical detail and accuracy will these readers require to feel satis​fied with your description?

Tertiary readers (evaluators) could include just about anyone who has an in​terest in the product, place, or process you are describing. Your technical de​scription may be used by auditors, lawyers, reporters, or concerned citizens.

Gatekeeper readers (supervisors) may want to check your description for accuracy. Descriptions, especially specifications and observations, need to be exact. Your supervisors may want to review your materials for exactness and correctness.

CONTEXT OF USE Imagine the places where your description might be used. Will the description be embedded in a report or proposal? Will it be placed in a larger document's appendix to provide additional details? Will salespeople use the descrip​tion to promote the product or service? Will the description be published in a maga​zine? Will it be used as a specification to establish the ideal measurements of the product or service?

Take Note

Visualize the kinds of situations in which the description might be used. You will need to adjust the content, organization, style, and design to fit those various situations.

Also, imagine your primary readers in a likely context, using your description. What physical, economic, ethical, and political factors will influence how they inter​pret the text?

Researching

In most cases, doing research for a technical description is primarily experiential. In other words, you will likely need to personally observe the object, thing, or process yon are describing. Here are some strategies that are especially applicable to writing descriptions.

 

DO BACKGROUND RESEARCH Before making direct observations, you should know as much as possible about your subject. On the Internet, use search engines to find as much information as you can. Then, collect print sources, like books, documents, and other literature. These materials should help you understand your subject better so you can make more informed observations.

USE YOUR SENSES While making direct observations, use all of your available senses. As much as possible, take notes about how something looks, sounds, smells, feels, and tastes. Pay special attention to colors and textures, because they will add depth and vividness to your description.

TAKE MEASUREMENTS When possible, measure qualities like height, width, depth, and weight. If you cannot gain exact measurements, make estimates. In some cases, you can compare the subject to something of similar size (e.g.,"The rough-legged hawk we observed was about the size of a large crow").

DESCRIBE MOTION AND CHANGE Pay attention to your subject's movements. Look for patterns and note places where your subject deviates from those patterns. Also, take special note of any changes in your subject. Over time, you may notice that it evolves or transforms in some way.

DESCRIBE THE CONTEXT Take copious notes about the surroundings of the sub​ject. Pay attention to how your subject acts or interacts with the things and people around it.

COLLECT VISUALS If available, collect graphics that illustrate your subject, or create them yourself. You can make drawings or take pictures of your subject.

ASK SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SMEs) If possible, find experts who can answer your questions. SMEs can help fill in any gaps in your understanding of your subject, while pointing out subtle features that you might miss.

While researching, collect as much information as you can. When you are finished researching, you should determine how much your readers already know about the subject and how much they need to know. You can then prioritize your notes to suit their needs.

Partitioning the Subject

To describe something, you need to fully understand it. You need to go beneath the visible surface to discover how it works and how it affects the people who use it.

• If you are describing a product or artifact, take it apart if you can. Then, look at the object from a variety of different angles.

• If you are describing a place, go there and look around. Pay attention to what makes this place different or unique. Spend some time observing how people interact with the place.

• If you are describing a process, note its larger stages. Pay close attention to how each stage leads to and affects the following stage.

Once you are familiar with the subject, you can start describing it in words and images. The first question you should ask is, "How can I partition it?" Or, to put the question more simply, "How can I break it down into its major features, functions, or stages?" Your answer to this question will determine your partitioning strategy for de​scribing your subject.

By features—You might partition the subject by separately describing its parts or features. For example, a description of a computer might describe it part by part by first partitioning it into a monitor, keyboard, external disk drives, and a central processing unit (CPU).

By functions—You might partition the subject by noting how its different parts function. A description of the International Space Station, for exam​ple, might partition it function by function into research, power generation, infrastructure, habitation, and docking sections.

By stages of a process—You could partition the subject chronologically by showing how it is assembled or how it works. A description of Hodgkin's disease, for example, might walk readers step-by-step through detection, diagnosis, staging, and remission stages.

Organizing and Drafting Technical Descriptions

With your subject partitioned into major and minor features, you are ready to start organizing and drafting your description. There are many different ways to describe your subject, but it is best to follow an organizational pattern that demonstrates an obvious logic that readers will immediately recognize. Figure 19.6 shows a basic pat​tern that might be followed.

Specific and Precise Title

The title for your description can be long or short. In most cases, a concise title like "Mars Exploration Rover" would be fine. However, this title could suit a variety of documents about the rover, including a report, a proposal, or a magazine article.

Description by Senses, Similes, Analogies, and Metaphors

The key to a successful technical description is the use of vivid detail to bring your subject to life—to make it seem real. A well-written description helps the readers visualize the thing, place, or process you are illustrating for them. To add this level of detail, you might consider using some of the following techniques:

DESCRIPTION THROUGH SENSES Humans experience the world through their five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Consider each of these senses sepa​rately, asking yourself, "How does it look?" "How does it sound?" "How does it smell?" "How does it feel?" and "How does it taste?"

Conclusion

The conclusion of a technical description should be short and concise. Conclusions often portray one working cycle of the object, place, or process.

Using Style in Technical Descriptions

Most technical descriptions are written in the plain style. However, there are times when you want your description to be more persuasive, such as in sales literature or a proposal. Here are some suggestions for using style in descriptions:

Keep your words simple—The words you use should be familiar to your readers. If they are not, you should define any words they may not know. Jargon should be avoided with nonexpert readers.

Keep sentences short, within breathing length—Sentences that are too long only cloud your readers' abilities to visualize the subject. Your readers should be able to comfortably read each sentence in one breath.

Use subject alignment and given/new techniques to weave sentences together—Aligning your subjects and the given/new will make your text smoother and easier to follow.

Use the senses to add color, texture, taste, sound, and smell—Use all the senses, not just sight, to add detail to your description. The style of your document will improve if you give readers the full sensory experience.

Use similes, analogies, and metaphors to add a visual dimension—These techniques will help you give your readers an overall image of the subject.

In most cases, the best style for a technical description is an unnoticed style. Your goal is to use plain style techniques to improve your readers' understanding.

Designing Technical Descriptions

The design of your technical description will depend on the context in which it will be used. A description used in your company's sales literature, for example, will usu​ally be more colorful than a technical specification kept in your company's files. So, as you consider the design of your description, think carefully about where and how the document will be used.

 

Designing a Page Layout

The page layout of your description likely depends on your company's previous doc​umentation or established style. If you are given a free hand to design the text, you might consider

• using a two-, three-, or four-column format.

• using lists to highlight minor parts of an object, place, or process.

• using a sidebar to focus on a particular part or function of the subject.

• using headings to show the organization of the content.

• placing data or measurements in a table.

You don't need to restrict yourself to a simple one-column format. Use your imagi​nation. Figure 19.8, for example, shows how columns and tables can be used to pack a solid amount of information into one place, while still presenting the information in an attractive way.

Using Graphics

Graphics are helpful in technical descriptions. Pictures, illustrations, and diagrams help the readers visualize your subject and its parts.

Using your computer, you can collect or create a wide range of graphics. Many free-use graphics are widely available on the Internet. (Reminder: Unless the site specifies that the graphics are free to use, you must ask permission to use them.) If you cannot find graphics on the Internet, you can use a digital camera to take pho​tographs that can be downloaded into your text. You can also use a scanner to digi​tize pictures, illustrations, and diagrams.

There are some guidelines for using graphics in a technical description:

• If possible, use a title and number with each graphic so it can be referred to in the written text.

• Include captions that explain what the graphic shows.

• Label specific features in the graphic.

• Reference the graphic in the written text; e.g., "As shown in Figure 3 . . ." or "(See Figure 3)."

• Place the graphic on the page where it is referenced or soon afterward.

It is not always possible to include titles, numbers, and captions with your graph​ics. In these situations, all graphics should appear immediately next to or immedi​ately after the places where they are discussed.

Take Note

Drawing software packages, including the drawing features on your word-processing program, can help you make simple illustrations and diagrams.

Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

You should save plenty of time to revise and edit your description. Often, what seems obvious or straightforward to you will not be obvious to your readers. Revising and editing will help you locate and clarify unclear parts of your description.

Revising for Conciseness

At this point, you should look for ways to make your description more concise. You should—

• comb through the text, looking for places where you go beyond need-to-know information.

• find places where you have included too many details for your readers. Cut out this excessive information.

• shorten any long sentences to make them easier to read.

When revising, try to boil your subject down to the fewest words possible, while still meeting the purpose of the description.

Editing and Proofreading for Accuracy

Above all, descriptions need to be accurate. As you are editing your description,

• check the accuracy of any figures.

• double-check measurements for exactness.

• confirm units of measurement.

• look up any words that you are not completely sure about.

 

TAKE NOTE: There are several helpful dictionaries on the Internet. Don't hesitate to look up a word.

 

Proofreading is always important, but it is even more important if your descrip​tion will be used as a sales tool or in a proposal. A typo or misspelling might be for​givable in your company's in-house materials, but your company's reputation is at stake when written materials are being shown to customers or clients. You want these materials to be error free.

You should show your description to your supervisor or colleagues before you finish it. Your familiarity with the subject might cause you to overlook problems in your text. So, letting someone with a fresh perspective look over your materials might help you locate trouble spots or errors.