Running head: Communication framework

Communication Framework and Training Plan
Southern New Hampshire University
IT 520 Technical Communications

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Communication framework
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Abstract

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The VP of the Bold Flash’s Mobile Division, Roger Cahill, recognized that technical

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communication was a major contributor to the struggling division’s problems. Increased

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competition, lower profit margins, a change in leadership, and the challenges of effective

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communication between groups geographically dispersed with different time zones exacerbated

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the Division’s problems.

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This paper will focus on improving the product documentation for technical and non-technical

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audiences.

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Communication Framework and Training Plan
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Background and Area of Focus
Bold Flash’s 2011 revenues were attributed to sales to original equipment manufacturers

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(OEM) and direct to consumers buying through retailers, wholesalers or electronics stores.

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Revenues were expected to increase but completion and pricing pressure were expected to

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adversely affect profit margins.

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Many problems within the Mobile Division were attributed to poor technical

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communication. Focus was placed on poor product documentation that could result in negative

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reviews online, poor customer goodwill, increased support calls and, ultimately, declining sales.

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Well written installation instructions are needed to users can install the software needed to use

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the flash storage devices. Enabling the users to reach their goals will boost goodwill towards the

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Mobile Division, decrease calls to Technical Support, provide positive testimonials, and

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potentially increase sales.

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Key Stakeholders:

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Consumers purchasing the Flash Drives

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Wholesalers, retailers and electronic stores

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Jack Thompson, manager of the Technical Support Team.

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Mobile Division salespeople

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Dr. Roger Cahill, VP of the Mobile Division

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Jack Young, CEO

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Marketing Department

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Manufacturing Department

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Technical Support

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Chip Bryant, Director of Sales

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Consumers purchasing the Mobile Divisions Flash Storage could quickly and successfully install software needed to use the devices.

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Wholesalers, retailers, and electronics stores will continue to purchase the Mobile

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Division’s products because customers are happy with their product and not rushing to return the

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storage devices.

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Jack Thompson, Manager of Technical Support voiced his concerns about Sproduct

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documentation generated for the consumer and employees providing customer support. Well

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written installation instructions would reduce the number of Support calls members of his small

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team would need to handle.

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Dr. Roger Cahill is responsible for the performance of the Mobile Division. Improving

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technical communication within the division could contribute to improved operations and

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increased profit margins.

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Jack Young is ultimately responsible for the performance of BoldFlash. Good Technical communication could help the company to remain competitive in the Flash Storage industry.
Mobile Division Salespeople will have the confidence to sell the Flash Storage if they are receiving good reviews from satisfied customers.
The Marketing Department can better promote the Mobile Division’s products if technical communication is written for low tech audiences.
The Manufacturing Department will can better utilize resources and avoid the need to rewrite installation instructions if the documentation is accurately written at the out start.

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Technical Support will experience a reduction in support calls and have the ability to provide better support because of improved documentation.
The Director of Sales will no longer have pressure to sell poorly supported products

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rejected by unhappy consumers.

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Established Practices:

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There is poor inter departmental communication. The sales department promises products

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without checking with the manufacturing department regarding the feasibility providing the

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quantity of product by the promised deadline.

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A memo generated by Karl Metzer, Director of Product Development, directed to all

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department heads contained vague information for a product description for the new SSD. The

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last paragraph of the document indicated that a new format is being implemented without further

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explanation. The last sentence indicates that SSD will look different but will have all of the

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important parts. The statements were in line with a change in the format of product descriptions

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implemented to streamline communication.

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Reports generated by the Marketing Department are not read by division leaders. Kevin

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Cheng, Director of the Manufacturing Department indicated the Marketing Department was

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sending so many reports that he only reads half of them.

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Framework for Continued Communication
A training for the Mobile Division Management team is planned. Prior to providing the training, members of the Communication Team will
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conduct interviews with Technical Service and a small sampling of customers to get feedback regarding the current installation instructions

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study previous survey results to identify points of interest including documentation deficiencies

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review the Technical Support logs to determine the needs of the identified audiences. 80

The Communications Department will conduct the training through videoconferencing and with

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teleconferencing and a PowerPoint presentation available for back up in the event there are

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bandwidth issues. Videos of the training and training apps could prove helpful for anyone

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needing a review or for those unable to attend the scheduled training. A blog could provide an

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opportunity for employees to receive answers to questions posted.

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The target audience is mixed with high tech and low tech readers. Documentation

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including installation instructions is vague and geared towards the high tech audience. The low

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tech audience lacks a technical background. Missing background information regarding the

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product and its use, the use of abbreviation and technical jargon and a missing contact number

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for Technical Support contribute to the confusion for the low tech audience. An audience

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checklist will help to identify the audiences and ensure that their needs are met to enable

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successful installation of software.

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The R&D Department, the Manufacturing Department, Sales Department, and Technical

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Support should collaborate to create an effective set of installation instructions for the target

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market. The departments are dispersed and located in different time zones. Effective channels

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for collaboration include the use of Wikis, blogs, text messages, occasional emails and reports.

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Teleconferences and videoconferences are options but bandwidth may hinder videoconferences.

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The blogs and wikis permit asynchronous discussions.

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The writing process will call for prewriting, writing, and rewriting. The process should be

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considered when setting deadlines for completion. Usability testing after the writing phase will

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help identify areas needing a rewrite. Failure to meet the users’ needs with the final version of

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the installation instructions will result in ill will and poor word of mouth and possibly poor

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reviews posted to the Internet. Success in writing installation instructions that meet the needs of

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the audience and enable installation of the software is determined by a drop in calls to Technical

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Support, good reviews posted online and through the use of surveys and questionnaires.

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The collaborative team should determine the division’s goals prior to creating the

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installation instructions to meet the needs of the audience. Goals should include directing the

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audience to successfully installing the software, inform the audience of features of the storage

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device, build goodwill by letting the audience know that support is available. Team goals should

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also include the elimination of Manufacturing’s need to re-produce installation instructions.

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The collaborative team should select the appropriate channels for delivering the

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installation software. Printed instructions, online instructions and a Youtube video would provide

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users with a choice for accessing the information. A FAQ page would provide troubleshooting

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assistance that may avoid the need to contact Technical Support.

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Key steps for training includes:

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an explanation of the need to identify audiences, o Knowing the target audience will have an impact on the way the

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instructions are written. Technical audiences have a technical background

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and are familiar with abbreviations, jargon, and terms. A non-technical

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audience requires some background information, simple terms, complete

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and accurate information.

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description of an audience checklist

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a presentation of information learned from interviews, Technical Support logs,

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and online reviews. o Presenting content gleaned from interviews, online reviews and logs

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should emphasize the need to re-write the instructions so the target

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audience can successfully install software to enable them to use the flash

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storage devices.

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o Teamwork will facilitate the writing process in a timely manner. Key

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an explanation of the importance of teamwork in technical communication

groups will have the opportunity to brainstorm and offer input.
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a demonstration of the importance of writing clearly, concisely and accurately o Writing clearly and concisely in a step by step fashion so users can easily

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install the software needed to use the flash disks will leave the audience

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with a feeling of good will and ultimately good reviews and word of

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mouth.

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An explanation of the writing process involving the prewrite, write, and rewriting

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steps. Prewriting will help to identify the important steps to include in the

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instructions. The writing process will provide a copy for usability testing. Testing

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will enable the collaborators to determine instructions that should be rewritten.

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determination of appropriate channels of delivery

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o Providing written instructions will enable anyone without Internet access

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to install the software to enable use of the Flash storage device. Online

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instructions will enable those with Internet to install the software and

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troubleshoot by using the FAQ pages or post questions regarding the

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installation process or product usage.

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Adaptation
The use of laymen’s terms will ensure the use terms appropriate for a non tech audiences.

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The installation instructions should provide a specific step by step guide with images providing

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visual support so anyone without experience installing software or without any experience with

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the devices could complete necessary tasks to use the flash storage.

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The prerequisite section is confusing. The next to last step includes instructions on

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downloading instructions for a Mac driver. A low tech audience might try to download the Mac

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driver to their PC. The steps are re-worded below.

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PC Instructions:

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Create a new folder in the Applications folder

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Name the new folder Flash Driver

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Create a new folder in the newly created Flash Driver Folder

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Name the new folder, Driver

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Insert the Flash Drive and press the download button that appears on the desktop

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A dialog box will open to allow you to select the Driver Folder to receive the

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downloading files.

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Download the file irrlicht 1.8 from http://irrlicht.techtoys.net/downloads.html

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Click on the downloaded file and select the FlashDrive folder at the prompt.

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Substitute “click on” for the word Extract.

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The instructions for downloading the Mac driver should be removed from the

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instructions for installing the software on a PC.

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Step 2 is unnecessary and confusing. Visuals would work better with each of the

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bullet points in the first step.

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Step 3 is also confusing. The second bullet of step three includes the vague

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instruction that click ok when a message that “says something like OK to install a

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new device driver”.

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Step 3 has cryptic instructions that there may be a need to click ok a few more times.

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The last sentence on the page of instructions directs the user to contact Technical

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Support if the user experienced questions. Contact information was not provided. A

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phone number and/or email was needed.

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Another set of instructions for Mac users was needed in place of saying that a step is different for the Macs.

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Explanation

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I simplified words used in the instructions for the lay audience. Changing the words base

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directory to folder will help a lay audience understand that they need to click on the “create new

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folder” button in step 1. Adding the instructions to name the folders as a separate step will

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simplify the instructions. Including additional explanations with a glossary or parenthetical

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explanations will help. Graphics will provide visual support.

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Alternative Audience

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A high tech audience might receive the instructions for downloading the software. I would provide the same instructions with images that I would provide a low tech audience, in

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this instance. The high tech audience could take the option to install the software without

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following the instructions.

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Technical Support would be an alternative audience. Technical Support should become

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familiar with the installation instructions in order to offer troubleshooting advice. A company

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with a good Technical Support team could use that department as a selling point. (Andrew, 2011)

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References
Andrew, R. (2011, October 10). Supporting your product: How to provide technical support –

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Smashing Magazine. Retrieved from

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https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/10/supporting-product-providing-technical-

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support/

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DuBay, W. (n.d.). The costs of poor writing. Retrieved from www.impactinformation.com/impactinfo/costs.htm
Gerson, S. M., & Gerson, S. J. (2014). Technical communication: Process and product. New
York: Pearson.
BOLDFlash – Product Documentation Artifact. (n.d.). Retrieved from

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https://bb.snhu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-9422659-dt-content-rid-21703244_1/courses/IT-

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520-16TW2-MASTER/IT-520-15TW2-

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MASTER/IT%20520%20BOLDFlash%20Product%20Documentation.pdf

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