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Technical Communication: Know your audience.
By Administration | May 6, 2007
When you are writing, there is undoubtedly a reason that you are doing so. It could be because you are trying to convey useful information, or perhaps you are trying to get your reader to conform to a common belief or idea. Whatever the reason, you writing will become much more effective if you write with your target audience in mind.
Imagine being handed a memo written by a coworker, and while you read it your coworker continually referred to employees as “everyone else”. Would you feel disrespected, or would you feel that the coworker in question has properly addressed other members of the staff?
As a writer, it isn’t always possible to regulate who will read your work. This is also true for anyone else who has to submit written documents. If you are writing a memo that will only be sent to your boss, it may be possible to be less universal in your language. However, if the rest of the staff will have access to that memo, it may be a good idea to ensure that the memo contains universal language, and will not be offensive to anyone that may come across it.
Offending someone immediately invalidates your document. Regardless of what you are trying to convey, if the person that has read it takes offense, the message will not come across.
Remember to use neutral language, and try to convey your message without being aggressive or apprehensive. Show respect for any opposing viewpoints, and gently explain why yours makes more sense. In business, the ability to transmit a message while remaining cordial is a highly sought after skill.
Quick Tips:
- Get as much information as possible. If your manager asks you to write a report, ask them who will be privy to it. If it is just the manager in question, it may be acceptable for you to use language that both your manager and yourself will relate to. If it will be released on the public domain you will want to take a much more cautious approach.
- Do not write with a myopic view. Writing with a set mindset will cause people of other cultures, beliefs, opinions, or religions to feel alienated. This may cause them to become less receptive to your writing, defeating the purpose of it. This is especially true when writing documents that relate to specific cultural beliefs.
- Be culture sensitive. Though you may be Christian, your manager may be Hindu, and their manager might be Buddhist. Ensure that your writing does not come off condescending. Remember that your beliefs are your beliefs, and not necessarily the beliefs of others.
Once you are done writing your document, go back and read it over. Then, get a friend or companion to read it. Ask them if any of the writing came off in any other way than it was intended, and take the time to understand any criticism. Over time, your writing style will lend itself to cross-cultural and technical communication, reducing the amount of time that you may need to spend reviewing it to make sure it is acceptable.
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