Technical Writing: A Detailed Process

Why Should You Attend:

Experienced Technical Writers who specialize in science, engineering, Information Technology and statistics among other highly technical specialties will find in this webinar organizational tips and suggestions that benefit them with their daily responsibilities. These professionals will find guidance to better organize their time and expertise to create higher quality documents within increasingly tight timeliness. Without the suggestions provided in the webinar precious time can best lost in creating high quality documents. Because of increasingly short timelines none of us has enough time to create the best documents that utilize our best efforts. Join this webinar to learn step-by-step instructions on how to create better documents in less time as well as learn techniques to communicate contributions and ideas developed to stakeholders, reviewers and approvers.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• How to plan the document process from initiation to final approval
• How to create the document using an outline or table of contents
• How to write the first draft and revisions as necessary
• How to conduct author’s initial review before the formal review process
• How to respond to reviewers and approvers
• How to accept positive and negative comments from reviewers/approvers
• How to negotiate when disagreements arise between reviewers/approvers
• How to incorporate comments into the final document
• How to obtain comments in accordance with required timelines
• Final approval of the document

Recently Asked Questions & Answers:

1. How should the first or rough draft of a technical document be written?

Before starting the first or rough draft, ask yourself the following questions:

• Who is going to read the technical document?
• What is the technical writer trying to tell them?
• Where did the issues happen that were raised in the document?
• Why did the issues occur?
• How does the document address these issues?

Use all the information you gathered and write down all these ideas, concepts and concerns without worrying about the style, grammar, punctuation, organization or anything else. Then proofread, correct, change, add or subtract them from the first draft until it answers the above questions.

2. Should the pictures be incorporated in the first draft of the technical document?

Pictures that address the questions listed above should be included in the first draft.

3. How should a technical writer negotiate if disagreements arise between reviewers/approvers?

You should first validate the concerns of the reviewers and show the information from the document or source information that supports the document’s point of view.

It is your responsibility to negotiate, to cajole, to coax or do whatever is necessary to obtain consensus between reviewers including soliciting input from upper management.

Who Will Benefit:

• Who will benefit:
• Experienced Technical Writers in all industries
• Scientists with Technical Writing skills
• Engineers with some experience in Technical Writing
• IT personnel who want to improve their Technical Writing Skills
• Statisticians who want to improve their efficiency in Technical Writing
• Any highly technical, highly specialized personnel with some experience in Technical Writing

From Pharmaceutical, Engineering, IT and highly specialized, highly technical industries

Robert Peoples
Retired Technical Writer, Tunnell Consulting Inc

After obtaining a B.S. and an M.S. in Chemistry from Tuskegee University, Robert Peoples joined the pharmaceutical industry as a Research Chemist with a concentration in analytical chemistry at Wyeth/Lederle. While at Wyeth/Lederle Robert was primarily responsible for the analysis of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in various drug delivery formulations, e.g. aerosols, capsules, creams, ointments and tablets. He joined Organon/Merck as a Research Chemist responsible for the development of stability-indicating methods of analysis using HPLC.

While at Organon/Merck, Robert transitioned into Technical Writing. As a Technical Writer he was responsible for the creation of procedures for instrument qualification, test scripts, IQ/OQ/PQ protocols for sample handling, cleaning validation reports, method transfer reports, method validation reports, stability reports, Change Control and CAPAs. Later he joined Johnson and Johnson as a Technical Writer where he created stability strategies, protocols and reports as well as SOPs, developed training materials and competency profiles in addition to proofreading and improving written reports for other departments. He also edited policies and procedures, user guides, and job aids.

Topic Background:

This webinar will define the complete technical document creation process. It includes all steps to be made by experienced Technical Writers to create the highest quality Technical Documents. It includes the creation of document plans and organizational meetings with stakeholders and reviewers. Since Technical Writing is a complicated process that is as much art as science the webinar assists Technical Writers to accomplish their daily tasks. It recognizes that Technical Writing is a balancing act between being precise enough to cover the subject matter yet general enough to apply to other locations and/or projects. It also reminds experienced attendees that Technical Writing always includes reviewers and approvers of different levels of expertise in the subject matter. Join the webinar to gain in-depth guidance to create the highest quality documents.

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