12 February 2003Southwestern Missouri State University1/28 Target Group Analysis Thomas L. Warren,...

12 February 2003 Southwestern Missouri State University1/28

Target Group Analysis

Thomas L. Warren, ProfessorTechnical Writing ProgramOklahoma State University


Overview of Talk

• Approaches to target group analysis

• Compare in school and on-the-job• Preparing a document• Comparison of two audiences• Sample• Conclusion and questions


Audience analysis

• Three approaches to audience analysisDemographicOrganizationalPsychological

Simple

Complex


Approaches

• DEMOGRAPHICWhat you can ask aboutWhat you can count

• ORGANIZATIONALRole of individual in a companyLevel of influence

• PSYCHOLOGICALInformation processingInformation needs


Approaches

DEMOGRAPHICWhat you can ask aboutWhat you can count

• ORGANIZATIONAL

Role of individual in a company Level of influence

• PSYCHOLOGICAL Information processing Information needs


Demographic

• Education• Sex• Income• Address• Children


Approaches

• DEMOGRAPHIC What you can ask about What you can count

ORGANIZATIONALRole of individual in a companyLevel of influence

• PSYCHOLOGICAL Information processing Information needs


DEC’s

• Novice• Someone familiar with another

operating system• Someone familiar with a previous

version of the product


USER OF OTHER PREVIOUS USERINFLUENCE NOVICE SOFTWARE THIS SOFTWAREIllustrations: Type Obvious Sophisticated Number Many Few Complexity Simple ComplexCoverage Depth/Breath Overview In depth on (general) topics of daily How to use concern.Vocabulary Concrete Abstractions Short sentences Long sentences

Monosyllables

SOURCE: Personal Computer: Documentor's Guide,DEC,I-1-7

DEC’s READERS


HierarchyD ep artm en ta l O rg an iza tion

R oss G e ld erR esearch er

C h an d le r B in gE d ito r

S a lly Taylo rC h ie f W rite r

N e ils C ra inH u m an S u b jec ts C oord in a to r

D ap h en e M oonQ u a lity C on tro l

W a lly S im p sonC h ie f S c ien tis t

Je rom e D eaconS an ita tion

R ob ert P rio rG lass Tech n ic ian

K im S ett leL ab S u p erviso r

Joh n S m ithM an ag er


Approaches

• DEMOGRAPHIC What you can ask about What you can count

• ORGANIZATIONAL Role of individual in a company Level of influence

PSYCHOLOGICALInformation processingInformation needs


Three Questions

• What does my reader NEED to know?

• How can I help my reader to UNDERSTAND?

• What do I want my reader TO DO with the information?


Three Questions

• What does the reader NEED to know?QuantityContent


Three Questions

• How can I help my reader to UNDERSTAND the material?DefinitionsVisualsSentence and paragraph length and

structureBackground informationQualitative details (technical)Clear statements of purpose/function


Three Questions

• What do I want my reader TO DO with the information?ApproveDisapproveAccept a recommendationTake some kind of actionBe informed onlyRespond to my requestOther


Audience Analysis

• In your own group• In close proximity• Elsewhere in organization• Outside organization


Audience Analysis: Comparison with School

Audience School On-the-JobIn own group

Classmates Co-workers; group leader; support staff

Close proximity

Professors; Lab assistants

Managers

Elsewhere Dept. heads; V-P

Outside Customers; government


Reader’s Purpose

READER PURPOSE IN READING

Lay Personal: what’s in it for me? What things do.

Executive How will topic affect company? Decide. Effects of decisions

Expert How, why things work. Theory. Methodology

Technician

How to do something; practical


Readers Reading

Sender Message Receiver

Content Form

Format Structure Specifications

Will your reader be familiar with all the elements in the message?

Type of report

Layout Organization

Type of English

Style Manual


Document consists of

Technical Information Requirementsprocess about subject

Know what Data about Specifications data to use. Subject. Reader expectations Collect it. Unique toAnalyze it. this assignmentOrganize itProcess similareach time use it


What drives the process?


Document consists of

Technical Information Requirementsprocess about subject

Know what Data about Specifications data to use. Subject. Reader Collect it. Unique to expectations Analyze it. this Organize it. assignmentProcess similareach time use it

Reader’s need for information


Lay vs. Expert: I*

CATEGORY

LAY EXPERT

Education Elem. To Ph.D.

Advanced degrees; experience

In/Out Subject Out In

Theory/ Application

Application Theory

Why Read? Practical, Personal

Learn; verify

* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.


Lay vs. Expert: II*

CATEGORY

LAY EXPERT

Technical data

Avoid Body/Appendix

Background Full; simple Sources

Analogy Lots; narration; examples

Not necessarily

Definitions Lots Special terms only

* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.


Lay vs. Expert: III*

CATEGORY

LAY EXPERT

Style Plain; S-V-O 90%; 15 wds/sent; 40 wds/paragraph

Complex; S-V-O <85%; 25 wds/sent; 150 wds/paragraph

Graphics No tables; simple other forms

All OK

Math None to very simple

No problem* Based on Pearsall, Thomas E., “Introduction” to Audience Analysis for Technical Writing, (Beverly Hills, CA: Glencoe Press, 1969), pp. xii-xxii.


Summary: How do You Adapt Text for Different Readers?

1. Ways to adapt texta) Vocabulary—complexity of ideas

presentedb) Assumptions about prior

knowledgec) Author’s purpose; reader’s goald) Sentence length and structure

2. Used how/when?


Questions?


Contact Me

Thomas L. Warren, ProfessorTechnical Writing ProgramEnglish Department, M205Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK [email protected]

www.okstate.edu/artsci/techwr

12 February 2003Southwestern Missouri State University1/28 Target Group Analysis Thomas L. Warren,...

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