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The Importance of Your 
Objectives 
Before you begin WRITING, there is 
a need to carefully and thoughtfully 
define the objectives you have in writing 
your communication. 
You must know why you are writing 
it, and what you want to accomplish . 
Defining your objectives first will help 
make a communication successful. 
Here are Six Reader-Centered 
Guidelines that will help you in defining 
your objectives. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 1
DEFINING YOUR OBJECTIVES 
The SIX Reader-Centered Guidelines 
GUIDELINE 1 – Start by Describing The Final Result 
You Desire 
GUIDELINE 2 – Identify The Tasks You Will Help 
Your Readers Perform While They Read 
GUIDELINE 3 – Tell How You Want To Change Your 
Reader’s Attitudes 
GUIDELINE 4 – Learn Your Reader’s Important 
Characteristics 
GUIDELINE 5 – Learn Who All Your Readers Will Be 
GUIDELINE 6 – Size Up The Situation 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 2
GUIDELINE 1 – DESCRIBE THE 
FINAL RESULT YOU DESIRE 
1. What do you want your readers to do as 
a result of reading your communication? 
This will help you design a 
communication that will be effective. 
For example: A report that will require a 
decision by the reader(s) will need to be 
written with the objective of guiding your 
reader to a decision. 
2. When you identify the tasks your 
readers will be performing as the read, 
you are describing the Enabling Element 
of Purpose . 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 3
GUIDELINE 2 – IDENTIFY THE TASKS YOU WILL 
HELP YOUR READERS PERFORM WHILE THEY 
READ 
1. Your readers will seek to locate, 
understand, and use the information and 
ideas that are of interest to them. 
2. Readers perform the tasks of locating, 
understanding, and using information in 
many different ways, depending on the 
situation. 
3. A fact should be born in mind - Not only do 
reader’s specific tasks vary, but different 
reader’s tasks are aided by different writing 
strategies. 
4. One of your aims is to enable your readers 
to perform their reading tasks quickly and 
efficiently. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 4
Identifying the mental tasks your readers will 
perform while reading can help you make good 
decisions about how to compose a 
communication. But how is this done? Answer 3 
ways 
1. Identify the questions your readers will most 
surely ask; or, put another way, Identify the 
information your readers want your 
communication to provide. 
2. Most readers come to many communications with 
questions already formed or an idea of the 
information they want. If you anticipate this, then 
you can provide relevant information in your 
communication. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 5
3. Determine how they will use the 
information you provide. 
By identifying the questions your 
readers want answered, you learn 
what information to include. By 
learning how they will look for this 
information and what they will do 
with it, you gain ideas about how to 
organize and present your 
message.. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 6
GUIDELINE 3 – TELL …..HOW YOU WANT 
TO CHANGE YOUR READER’S 
ATTITUDES 
This guideline is to help you identify the 
persuasive element of your 
communication’s purpose, use it to alter 
their attitudes towards your point. 
Begin by identifying the attitudes you 
want to alter. Usually you will want to 
shape your reader’s attitudes toward 
your subject matter, and at times, you 
will want to influence your reader’s 
attitudes toward you 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 7
There are three basic ways you may 
want to change your reader’s 
:attitude 
1. Sometimes you may want to reinforce 
an existing attitude. 
2. You might try to reverse an attitude you 
want your readers to abandon. 
3. You might want to shape your reader’s 
attitudes toward a subject that they 
haven’t yet thought about seriously. 
To do any of these, the persuasive 
element of your communication has to 
be very STRONG. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 8
GUIDELINE 4 – LEARN YOUR 
READER’S IMPORTANT 
CHARACTERISTICS 
What characteristics should you focus 
on as you think about your readers? 
Four points to remember: 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 9
1. Professional Roles 
By learning your readers’ professional roles, 
you can often infer the kinds of information 
they will seek from your communication and 
the ways they will use it. Their job title may 
help, but you really need to know their job 
function . Are they: 
– Decision Makers, 
– Advisors, or 
– Implementers 
The job function of your reader is a 
determining factor on how you will write your 
communication. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 10
2. Familiarity with Your Topic 
A second characteristic to consider 
is your reader’s familiarity with the 
topic. This will determine how 
much background information, or 
how much detail, you will need to 
include in your communication to 
make it understandable and useful. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 11
3. Level of Knowledge of Your 
Specialty 
To use the information you provide, 
your readers will need to understand 
the terms and concepts you use. 
Knowing the level of your reader’s 
familiarity with your specialty will help 
you anticipate the questions they will 
ask and also help you avoid cluttering 
your communication with unnecessary 
information. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 12
4. Preferred Communication 
Style 
Most people prefer certain styles 
of writing over others. To a certain 
extent, people’s preferences are 
shaped by the customary practices 
employed where they work. This is 
important to keep in mind as you 
begin to work for a new company . 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 13
Special Factorsٍ 
You should always be on the lookout for 
reader characteristics you would not normally 
need to consider. For example, you may be 
writing to a reader who wants the report laid 
out a certain way, or who doesn’t like certain 
words, etc . Before beginning your 
communication, ask yourself “Are there any 
special factors I should take into 
consideration when addressing these 
readers?” For example, some people will 
prefer the pronouns to be written as “he/she” 
every time while others find this unnecessary 
or annoying. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 14
GUIDELINE 5 – LEARN WHO ALL 
YOUR READERS WILL BE 
At times you will know exactly who your 
audience will be. At other times, the 
composition of your audience will not 
be so obvious. The communications you 
prepare at work may find their way to 
many people in many parts of your 
organization. If your communications 
are to be effective, you must know all 
the people who will read it and keep 
those individuals in mind when you 
write. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 15
Who might your readers be? 
1. Phantom Readers 
The most important readers of a 
communication may be hidden from 
you. That’s because at work, written 
communications addressed to one 
person are often used by others. 
These are called the phantom 
readers. 
One clue to whether your 
communication will be read by a 
phantom reader is that the person 
you are writing to is not high enough 
in the organizational hierarchy to 
make a decision based on your 
communication. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 16 
.
A person who has worked at a 
job for a while usually learns 
which communications are 
likely to be passed on to 
others. A new employee needs 
to learn this to avoid hastily 
written material that may end 
up in the president’s hands 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 17
2. Future Readers 
Your communications may be put 
to use weeks, months, or even 
years after you’ve written them. 
These readers may be peers, 
fellow employees, another 
company, lawyers, etc. Therefore, 
keep this in mind when you are 
writing. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 18
3. Complex Audiences 
Audiences often consist of diverse 
groups of people with widely varying 
background and responsibilities. When 
you are addressing a group of people 
who will be reading from many 
perspectives, you are addressing a 
complex audience. To do that effectively, 
you need to write in a way that will meet 
each person’s needs without reducing 
the effectiveness of your communication 
to others 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 19
4. How to Identify Your Readers 
i. Ask another person, such as fellow 
employee, or your boss. 
ii. Use your employer’s organizational 
chart. 
iii. Brainstorm by asking yourself such 
questions as: 
– “Who in my department will read 
this?” 
– “Who in departments that work 
closely with mine?”, and 
– “Who in more remote departments?” 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 20
GUIDELINE 6 – SIZE UP THE SITUATION 
Finally, step back and ask yourself 
if there are any special 
circumstances that might influence 
the way your readers will respond 
to your message. If your 
assessment of your writing 
situation suggests that such 
restrictions might apply, find out 
what they are when you are 
defining your objectives so you 
can take them into account as you 
plan and write your 
communication. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 21
• Asking Others for 
Assistance 
When you are defining your 
objectives , you can usually 
obtain valuable assistance by 
talking things over with other 
people. These people may 
include: 
– Your boss 
– Your co-workers 
– Members of your intended 
audience 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 22
1. Make every effort to speak with the 
person(s) for whom you are writing 
the communication. This is important, 
and will involve the person (client) in every 
step of the communication. Ask how they 
will use it; what questions they want it to 
answer; what format they prefer, and so 
forth. The more contact you have 
with your readers, the more likely 
you are to write a successful 
communication. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 23
IMPORTANT 
From eDdvantage: 
Please: 
see and study Stephanie’s Completed 
Worksheet for Defining Objectives for an 
Un-requested Recommendation 
Stephanie identified SIX areas to be 
covered to succeed in her 
Recommendation 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 24
1. Overall Purpose 
2. Reader Profile 
3. Situational Analysis 
4. Reader’s Information 
Needs 
5. Reader’s Attitudes 
6. Stakeholders 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 25
WORKSHEET QUESTIONS 
FOR DEFINING OBJECTIVES 
For your convenience, read 
the list of the questions 
that appear in the 
worksheet used by 
Stephanie. Answering them 
will help you define your 
communication’s objectives 
in a reader-centered way. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 26
Overall Purpose 
1. What are you writing? 
2. What prompts you to write? 
3. What outcome do you 
desire? 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 27
Reader Profile 
Who is your primary reader? 
What is your reader’s relationship to you? 
What are your reader’s job title and 
responsibilities? 
Who else might read your communication? 
How familiar is your reader with your 
subject? 
How familiar is your reader with your 
specialty? 
Does your reader is your any 
communication preferences you should 
take into account? 
Should you take into account any other 
things about your reader when writing 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 28
Situational Analysis 
1. What events and circumstance 
influence the way you should 
write? 
AANNDD SSOO OONN 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 29
CONCLUSIONS 
1. The activity of defining objectives 
is more than an academic 
exercise. It provides you with 
valuable insights about the best 
way to write your communication. 
2. The Defining Objectives worksheet 
will be one of the tools you will 
use in preparing to write your 
communications for this course. 
January- 2008 Technical Communication 30

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Technical Communication

  • 1. The Importance of Your Objectives Before you begin WRITING, there is a need to carefully and thoughtfully define the objectives you have in writing your communication. You must know why you are writing it, and what you want to accomplish . Defining your objectives first will help make a communication successful. Here are Six Reader-Centered Guidelines that will help you in defining your objectives. January- 2008 Technical Communication 1
  • 2. DEFINING YOUR OBJECTIVES The SIX Reader-Centered Guidelines GUIDELINE 1 – Start by Describing The Final Result You Desire GUIDELINE 2 – Identify The Tasks You Will Help Your Readers Perform While They Read GUIDELINE 3 – Tell How You Want To Change Your Reader’s Attitudes GUIDELINE 4 – Learn Your Reader’s Important Characteristics GUIDELINE 5 – Learn Who All Your Readers Will Be GUIDELINE 6 – Size Up The Situation January- 2008 Technical Communication 2
  • 3. GUIDELINE 1 – DESCRIBE THE FINAL RESULT YOU DESIRE 1. What do you want your readers to do as a result of reading your communication? This will help you design a communication that will be effective. For example: A report that will require a decision by the reader(s) will need to be written with the objective of guiding your reader to a decision. 2. When you identify the tasks your readers will be performing as the read, you are describing the Enabling Element of Purpose . January- 2008 Technical Communication 3
  • 4. GUIDELINE 2 – IDENTIFY THE TASKS YOU WILL HELP YOUR READERS PERFORM WHILE THEY READ 1. Your readers will seek to locate, understand, and use the information and ideas that are of interest to them. 2. Readers perform the tasks of locating, understanding, and using information in many different ways, depending on the situation. 3. A fact should be born in mind - Not only do reader’s specific tasks vary, but different reader’s tasks are aided by different writing strategies. 4. One of your aims is to enable your readers to perform their reading tasks quickly and efficiently. January- 2008 Technical Communication 4
  • 5. Identifying the mental tasks your readers will perform while reading can help you make good decisions about how to compose a communication. But how is this done? Answer 3 ways 1. Identify the questions your readers will most surely ask; or, put another way, Identify the information your readers want your communication to provide. 2. Most readers come to many communications with questions already formed or an idea of the information they want. If you anticipate this, then you can provide relevant information in your communication. January- 2008 Technical Communication 5
  • 6. 3. Determine how they will use the information you provide. By identifying the questions your readers want answered, you learn what information to include. By learning how they will look for this information and what they will do with it, you gain ideas about how to organize and present your message.. January- 2008 Technical Communication 6
  • 7. GUIDELINE 3 – TELL …..HOW YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR READER’S ATTITUDES This guideline is to help you identify the persuasive element of your communication’s purpose, use it to alter their attitudes towards your point. Begin by identifying the attitudes you want to alter. Usually you will want to shape your reader’s attitudes toward your subject matter, and at times, you will want to influence your reader’s attitudes toward you January- 2008 Technical Communication 7
  • 8. There are three basic ways you may want to change your reader’s :attitude 1. Sometimes you may want to reinforce an existing attitude. 2. You might try to reverse an attitude you want your readers to abandon. 3. You might want to shape your reader’s attitudes toward a subject that they haven’t yet thought about seriously. To do any of these, the persuasive element of your communication has to be very STRONG. January- 2008 Technical Communication 8
  • 9. GUIDELINE 4 – LEARN YOUR READER’S IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS What characteristics should you focus on as you think about your readers? Four points to remember: January- 2008 Technical Communication 9
  • 10. 1. Professional Roles By learning your readers’ professional roles, you can often infer the kinds of information they will seek from your communication and the ways they will use it. Their job title may help, but you really need to know their job function . Are they: – Decision Makers, – Advisors, or – Implementers The job function of your reader is a determining factor on how you will write your communication. January- 2008 Technical Communication 10
  • 11. 2. Familiarity with Your Topic A second characteristic to consider is your reader’s familiarity with the topic. This will determine how much background information, or how much detail, you will need to include in your communication to make it understandable and useful. January- 2008 Technical Communication 11
  • 12. 3. Level of Knowledge of Your Specialty To use the information you provide, your readers will need to understand the terms and concepts you use. Knowing the level of your reader’s familiarity with your specialty will help you anticipate the questions they will ask and also help you avoid cluttering your communication with unnecessary information. January- 2008 Technical Communication 12
  • 13. 4. Preferred Communication Style Most people prefer certain styles of writing over others. To a certain extent, people’s preferences are shaped by the customary practices employed where they work. This is important to keep in mind as you begin to work for a new company . January- 2008 Technical Communication 13
  • 14. Special Factorsٍ You should always be on the lookout for reader characteristics you would not normally need to consider. For example, you may be writing to a reader who wants the report laid out a certain way, or who doesn’t like certain words, etc . Before beginning your communication, ask yourself “Are there any special factors I should take into consideration when addressing these readers?” For example, some people will prefer the pronouns to be written as “he/she” every time while others find this unnecessary or annoying. January- 2008 Technical Communication 14
  • 15. GUIDELINE 5 – LEARN WHO ALL YOUR READERS WILL BE At times you will know exactly who your audience will be. At other times, the composition of your audience will not be so obvious. The communications you prepare at work may find their way to many people in many parts of your organization. If your communications are to be effective, you must know all the people who will read it and keep those individuals in mind when you write. January- 2008 Technical Communication 15
  • 16. Who might your readers be? 1. Phantom Readers The most important readers of a communication may be hidden from you. That’s because at work, written communications addressed to one person are often used by others. These are called the phantom readers. One clue to whether your communication will be read by a phantom reader is that the person you are writing to is not high enough in the organizational hierarchy to make a decision based on your communication. January- 2008 Technical Communication 16 .
  • 17. A person who has worked at a job for a while usually learns which communications are likely to be passed on to others. A new employee needs to learn this to avoid hastily written material that may end up in the president’s hands January- 2008 Technical Communication 17
  • 18. 2. Future Readers Your communications may be put to use weeks, months, or even years after you’ve written them. These readers may be peers, fellow employees, another company, lawyers, etc. Therefore, keep this in mind when you are writing. January- 2008 Technical Communication 18
  • 19. 3. Complex Audiences Audiences often consist of diverse groups of people with widely varying background and responsibilities. When you are addressing a group of people who will be reading from many perspectives, you are addressing a complex audience. To do that effectively, you need to write in a way that will meet each person’s needs without reducing the effectiveness of your communication to others January- 2008 Technical Communication 19
  • 20. 4. How to Identify Your Readers i. Ask another person, such as fellow employee, or your boss. ii. Use your employer’s organizational chart. iii. Brainstorm by asking yourself such questions as: – “Who in my department will read this?” – “Who in departments that work closely with mine?”, and – “Who in more remote departments?” January- 2008 Technical Communication 20
  • 21. GUIDELINE 6 – SIZE UP THE SITUATION Finally, step back and ask yourself if there are any special circumstances that might influence the way your readers will respond to your message. If your assessment of your writing situation suggests that such restrictions might apply, find out what they are when you are defining your objectives so you can take them into account as you plan and write your communication. January- 2008 Technical Communication 21
  • 22. • Asking Others for Assistance When you are defining your objectives , you can usually obtain valuable assistance by talking things over with other people. These people may include: – Your boss – Your co-workers – Members of your intended audience January- 2008 Technical Communication 22
  • 23. 1. Make every effort to speak with the person(s) for whom you are writing the communication. This is important, and will involve the person (client) in every step of the communication. Ask how they will use it; what questions they want it to answer; what format they prefer, and so forth. The more contact you have with your readers, the more likely you are to write a successful communication. January- 2008 Technical Communication 23
  • 24. IMPORTANT From eDdvantage: Please: see and study Stephanie’s Completed Worksheet for Defining Objectives for an Un-requested Recommendation Stephanie identified SIX areas to be covered to succeed in her Recommendation January- 2008 Technical Communication 24
  • 25. 1. Overall Purpose 2. Reader Profile 3. Situational Analysis 4. Reader’s Information Needs 5. Reader’s Attitudes 6. Stakeholders January- 2008 Technical Communication 25
  • 26. WORKSHEET QUESTIONS FOR DEFINING OBJECTIVES For your convenience, read the list of the questions that appear in the worksheet used by Stephanie. Answering them will help you define your communication’s objectives in a reader-centered way. January- 2008 Technical Communication 26
  • 27. Overall Purpose 1. What are you writing? 2. What prompts you to write? 3. What outcome do you desire? January- 2008 Technical Communication 27
  • 28. Reader Profile Who is your primary reader? What is your reader’s relationship to you? What are your reader’s job title and responsibilities? Who else might read your communication? How familiar is your reader with your subject? How familiar is your reader with your specialty? Does your reader is your any communication preferences you should take into account? Should you take into account any other things about your reader when writing January- 2008 Technical Communication 28
  • 29. Situational Analysis 1. What events and circumstance influence the way you should write? AANNDD SSOO OONN January- 2008 Technical Communication 29
  • 30. CONCLUSIONS 1. The activity of defining objectives is more than an academic exercise. It provides you with valuable insights about the best way to write your communication. 2. The Defining Objectives worksheet will be one of the tools you will use in preparing to write your communications for this course. January- 2008 Technical Communication 30