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How can you make technical communication genres more accessible?

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Technical communication genres are the types of documents, reports, manuals, websites, and presentations that convey technical information to specific audiences and purposes. They can be challenging to create and understand, especially for non-experts or people with different backgrounds and needs. How can you make technical communication genres more accessible? Here are some tips to help you communicate more effectively and inclusively.

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1 Know your audience

The first step to making technical communication genres more accessible is to know who you are writing or speaking for. What are their goals, expectations, preferences, and challenges? How much technical knowledge do they have? How will they use your information? You can use various methods to research your audience, such as surveys, interviews, personas, scenarios, and feedback. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your content, style, tone, and format to suit their needs and interests.

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James Alexander Murray

Residential Night Concierge
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To make technical communication more accessible, consider the following approaches: 1. **Clear Language:** 2. **Visual Aids:** 3. **Step-by-Step Instructions:** 4. **Real-World Examples:** 5. **Interactive Content:** 6. **Hyperlinked Definitions:** 7. **Accessible Formats:** 8. **Multimodal Content:** 9. **User-Focused Design:** 10. **Feedback Mechanisms:** By adopting these strategies, technical communication can become more inclusive and accessible, catering to a broader audience with varying levels of technical expertise.

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2 Use plain language

Plain language is a way of writing or speaking that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. It does not mean simplifying or dumbing down your technical information, but rather choosing the most appropriate words, sentences, and structures to convey your message. Plain language helps you avoid jargon, acronyms, ambiguity, and unnecessary complexity that can confuse or alienate your audience. You can use tools like Hemingway Editor or Readable to check the readability of your text and improve your plain language skills.

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Jerry D. Smith Jr., Psy.D.

Clinical Psychologist & Behavioral Health Consultant | Treatment, Building Trust, Conflict Resolution
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Absolutely, technical communication thrives on clarity. Throughout my career, I've seen complex ideas become accessible when we ditch jargon for plain language. It takes empathy to remember that not everyone speaks 'tech.' By intentionally simplifying our words, we're not dumbing down; we're opening doors. It's about inclusive knowledge sharing, where concepts are clear to experts and newcomers alike. Adopting plain language bridges gaps and builds stronger, more diverse communities around tech. It’s rewarding to see the "aha" moments when a well-explained idea clicks—proof that simplicity really is the ultimate sophistication.

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3 Provide context and examples

Another way to make technical communication genres more accessible is to provide context and examples that illustrate your points and show how your information is relevant and useful. Context and examples help your audience connect your technical information to their own situations and experiences, and make it easier for them to remember and apply it. You can use analogies, metaphors, stories, case studies, diagrams, screenshots, videos, or code snippets to provide context and examples that support your technical communication.

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4 Design for accessibility

Designing for accessibility means creating technical communication genres that are usable and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their abilities, devices, or environments. Designing for accessibility involves following the principles of universal design, which are: equitable, flexible, simple, intuitive, perceptible, tolerant, and low-effort. You can use guidelines, standards, and best practices to design for accessibility, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) or the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN). You can also use tools like WAVE or Lighthouse to evaluate and improve the accessibility of your web-based technical communication genres.

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5 Test and revise

The final tip to make technical communication genres more accessible is to test and revise them based on feedback from your audience and stakeholders. Testing and revising help you identify and fix any problems or gaps in your technical communication, such as errors, inconsistencies, confusion, or misunderstanding. You can use various methods to test and revise your technical communication genres, such as usability testing, peer review, expert review, or quality assurance. Testing and revising help you ensure that your technical communication genres meet your goals and satisfy your audience.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you make technical communication genres more accessible?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your audience

2 Use plain language

3 Provide context and examples

4 Design for accessibility

5 Test and revise

6 Here’s what else to consider

Communication

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How can you make technical communication genres more accessible?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your audience

2 Use plain language

3 Provide context and examples

4 Design for accessibility

5 Test and revise

6 Here’s what else to consider

Communication

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