Build the skills to plan and write technical documents that meet the needs of their readers. Drawing on content from Michael Markel and Stuart Selber, authors of Practical Strategies for Technical Communication, published by Macmillan Learning, this course introduces the foundations of technical communication and the decisions that shape effective workplace writing.

You will examine the purpose of technical communication, the qualities of successful communicators, and the ethical and legal responsibilities involved. You will also practice collaborative writing approaches, including project planning, meetings, scheduling, and team evaluation. You will learn to analyze audiences and define a communication purpose, choose primary and secondary research methods, and evaluate a questionnaire. Reader-centered writing techniques help you organize information and improve titles, headings, paragraphs, sentences, and word choice. Through readings and applied activities, you will evaluate documents, address collaboration challenges, and make writing choices based on audience needs. The course includes approximately ten hours of learning material. This course is part of the Technical Writing Essentials Specialization and can also be taken independently.