HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL REPORTS

The workshop covers the whole of the processes in writing of effective technical reports.

Seminar Objectives:

By the end of the workshop, the delegates will have acquired insight into the format, content, lanuage and style for writing technical reports with reader appeal and punch. They will have acquired and practised principles and techniques in writing effective reports; and have practical experience in presenting technical reports.

Who should attend

The course is aimed at technical, management and salespersonnel involved in technical report writing.

Why you cannot afford to miss this workshop

The best ideas, the best solutions and the real benefits or sales that could accrue from them can all be thrown away if the messages do not get across effectively.

How can you write technical reports that stand out, that really get your message across?

This workshop will show you how.

The course includes syndicate exercises which, for in-house courses, could use real material relevant to them (provided by them). The workshop can be one or 2 days - preferably 2, it would allow more interaction and time for more realistic syndicate exercises.

How you and your organisation willl benefit

Effective communication is key to success - never more so than in technical environments where abbreviations, acronyms and technical jargon can confuse, leading to ambiguity, inefficiency, rework - and even failure. This workshop will show how to write technical documents in clear, unambiguous and readable language - and how to use language to influence and persuade

Programme

  • Introduction

    Why technical reports are different
    What’s in it for me?
    Setting Objectives
    Targeting the audience

  • Collecting Information

    Research
    Processing of documents relevant to the company and its industry
    Organise

  • Reports - Structure

    Research reports and Persuasive Reports
    Position
    Issues
    Possibilities
    Recommendations

  • Language -Style

    Use of plain English
    General approach
    Phrasing and sentences
    Use of words

  • Language - Mechanics

    Vocabulary
    Technical grammar
    Spelling
    Abbreviations
    Punctuation
    GoldeRules
    Bibliography

  • Layout and Format

    Clarity in documentation
    Types of layout
    Putting the report in context - topping and tailing
    Executive summaries
    Typographics
    References
    Use of Appendices
    Use of diagrams, graphs, tables and charts
    Illustrations

  • Document Review

    How to review documents
    Proof Reading
    Tools
    Checklist

  • Psychology of Persuasion

    Creating empathy with the audience
    Hints for Persuasion

Workshop Leader

Andrew Hiles

 

Books by Kingswell Consultants

Books on Service Management

Hiles, A. N. The Complete Guide to IT Service Level Agreements, Matching Service Quality to Business Needs.. ISBN 0-9641648-2-5 published by Rothstein Associates Inc.  The standard work on IT Service Level Agreements.

Hiles, A. N. E-Business Service Level Agreements: Strategies for ISPs, ASPs, *SPs and CLECS.  Published by Rothstein Associates Inc.  The first book to deal specifically with e-commerce Service Level Agreements.

Hiles, A. N. Service Level Agreements, Winning a Competitive Edge for Supply and Support Services.  ISBN 0-9641648-4-1published by Rothstein Associates Inc. This book applies Service Level Agreements to services other than IT. Real case studies and example SLAs are provided ranging from Human Resources, Logistics, through Training, Livestock Handling, Logistics and Field Service Engineering.

Hiles A.N. and Gunn, Dr. Y. Creating a Customer-Focused Help Desk: How to Win and Keep Your Customers. Published by Rothstein Associates Inc. ISBN 0-9641648-6-8 This book has the support of the Help Desk Institute www.helpdeskinst.com

Books on Business Continuity

Hiles A.N. Business Continuity Management: Best Practice. Published by Rothstein Associates Inc. ISBN 0-9641648-3-3.  This book explicitly covers all the ten areas of business continuity competence required for membership of the Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII) and the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).

Hiles A.N. Enterprise Risk Assessment & Business Impact Analysis – Best Practices ISBN 1-931332-12-6 Published by Rothstein Associates Inc. Covers many techniques and methods of risk and impact assessment with detailed examples and checklists.

e-Publication. Kingswell books on Business Continuity, Service Level Agreements and  Help Desk Management will shortly be available by page download in conjunction with Rothstein Associates Inc and Books24x7.com.

New and updated books. Existing  books Business Continuity Management – Best Practice and IT Service Level Agreements have been extensively updated. See our products page or visit www.rothstein.com .

All the above books can be obtained from:

Rothstein Associates Inc.
4 Arapaho Road
Brookfield
Connecticut
0608-3104 USA

www.rothstein.com

e-mail pjr@rothstein.com

Telephone: USA: 1-888-ROTHSTEIN
Worldwide: +1 203 740 7400

Hiles A.N. Guide to Risk Management. Published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

Hiles A.N. and Barnes, P. (Editor and main contributor) The Definitive Handbook of Business Continuity Management, John Wiley & Sons, 1999, ISBN 0 471 98622 4.

Hiles, A.N. (contributor), Croner’s Purchasing and Supply Guide to I.T., 1994, ISBN 1 85524 271 0

Hiles, A.N. (contributor), Guide to Business Continuity Management, 1999, for the Confederation of British Industry by Caspian Publishing

Hiles A.N. (contributor) Business Continuity Management, 2000, Institute of Directors / Department of Trade & Industry.

 

Kingswell © 2005