Written by Harold Quesnel.
On the former site of the historic Canadian Pacific Rail Angus Yards in Montreal, the STC hosted a dynamic workshop-seminar entitled “Technical Writing 101- The Basic Skills; Technical Writing for the Real World,” presented by the erudite and veteran STC board member Manuel (“Manny”) Gordon. The nearly twenty attendees ranged in age from the twenties to the sixties, and ranged in profession from software programmers, to translators, to a disgruntled machinist, to educators, to publishers, all eager to get a “Master Class” from Mr. Gordon.
After a delicious breakfast, the workshop began (in the active voice!).
Manny opened by inviting the participants to introduce themselves: Names, backgrounds, IT experience (Wait a minute! What happened to heavy industry? Angus Yards, RIP) as well as goals and expectations from the workshop. He then listed his credentials as an old computer wizard, Programmer, Analyst, Tech Writer, and Professor, having presented workshops at McGill, Ericsson, Bell, etc.
A convenient booklet was handed out, containing the imminent power point projections.
In case readers of this website article wanted some of the referenced material, go get your own copy of “The Elements of Style” (1959) by William Strunk, Jr. and EB White.
The first real power point: What is Technical Writing, from whom to whom, by whom and for whom? Then we were introduced to the extremely USEful acronym, USE: Understand, Simplify, Explain.
And don’t forget to analyze your audience. Are you writing for Managers, or Mechanics? What would be their socio-economic background?
The workshop unfolded in a very pedagogical way, with the participants being given additional handouts, texts over-stuffed with badly punctuated and disorganized information. It was up to us, the participants, to understand what was there, organize it, and put it IN-FORMATION (get it?).
The next exercise was especially fun, as Manny challenged us to compare our own analytical powers to those of super-sleuth Sam Spade, as he was portrayed by Humphrey Bogart in an early, critical scene from the old black and white classic “The Maltese Falcon” (1941). We were shown a clip from the film, where a seemingly distraught and anxious woman by the name of Miss Wanderlie (from NYC) shows up at Mr. Spade’s office (in San Francisco) to hire him for the purposes of locating her allegedly missing sister, who allegedly ran away with a Mr. Floyd Thursday. She then throws Sam a lot of data, when Manny hit the pause button, to allow us to prepare some kind of a report, which Sam would have to present to his secretary and partner. I will not tell you what she said, or what we wrote, or even what Sam Spade (Bogey) presented as HIS version. Go look on You Tube, or at Block Buster Video, OK?
Then we went for comestibles.
After lunch, we had to come back to the table(s).
We were given more exercises, which were designed to draw upon the lessons supposedly learned from the earlier exercises of analyzing our audiences, and making sure the Maltese Falcons fly in-formation. Also, how to use tables (not the type used for eating, drinking, drafting or dealing cards, but the type used with charts and diagrams).
The workshop seemed to be very successful, as all the participants participated. Not only doing the exercises, but asking questions and engaging discussions, which continued even after the workshop formally ended.
Even for those already familiar with Manny of the concepts, it was still a very exciting experience to have had!
When may we next participate in Technical Writing 201?
