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Assignment 2

This document provides instructions for Assignment 2, which requires students to create a technical instruction set teaching a specific process using a piece of technical equipment or software. To complete the assignment, students must interview and observe an expert performing the process, document it through photos and notes, and write a 3-part instruction set explaining how someone without experience can complete the process. The instructions must follow a specific format and include requirements provided in class lectures.

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Will Kurlinkus
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120 views2 pages

Assignment 2

This document provides instructions for Assignment 2, which requires students to create a technical instruction set teaching a specific process using a piece of technical equipment or software. To complete the assignment, students must interview and observe an expert performing the process, document it through photos and notes, and write a 3-part instruction set explaining how someone without experience can complete the process. The instructions must follow a specific format and include requirements provided in class lectures.

Uploaded by

Will Kurlinkus
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ASSIGNMENT 2

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION SET: 


FINAL:4.9

PURPOSE
Whether it’s telling users how to run a piece of computer
software, training a new colleague in how to operate a machine,
or helping fellow scientists across the globe replicate your
experiment—easy to follow instructions are key to technical
communication. But real technical writers don’t just make up
steps and guess at processes—they go out and watch, interview,
and record experts at work.

TASK
In Assignment 2 you will create an instruction set teaching a specific technical process
using a technical program, machinery, or scientific equipment. To do so, you will go out
and interview, photograph, and document a subject matter expert (SME) performing the
process. Your topic should fit into the format: How to perform X process using Y device.
I don’t care what the technical device is—CAD software, Photoshop, a microscope,
excel, a geological surveying tool—all I care is that you’re explaining how to do some
process that uses some kind of technical device. Most importantly, remember the
distinction we’ve made in this class between teaching someone how to do something
(good) and simply listing steps (bad).

TYPE
The process need not be hyper-complex. In fact, you should assume that you’re
introducing someone that doesn’t have much (if any) background knowledge of your
process. Your instructor should be able to understand it. Good projects for this
assignment often explain a process you’ve learned in another class to a younger
student who has yet to take that class.  

DELIVERABLES
PDF instruction set created in Canva with all the required parts from my powerpoint 

REQUIREMENTS
Throughout this unit, on most days I will be giving different new requirements. It’s your
job to record them in your notes and make sure you include them in your final project.
Part of this unit, that is, is making sure you can follow instructions! 
INSTRUCTION LAYOUT
TASK:
kurlinkus
CREATOR:
step tip warning feedback images
short action-oriented steps that the user needs to action-oriented visuals that show the user what to do.
additional information about the easiest way to perform inform users of things that could go wrong before they a multimodal cue (sight, smell, touch, taste) that tells the
perform to complete the task. Think about chunking Remember to highlight process, make sure you are at the
a step. This is where you can really get into expert happen. What should they avoid and WHY? Another user they are doing something right or wrong: "at this
into larger stages/tasks. correct zoom and angle. Often steps require more than
education. Do this/Not That. place for expert education. stage it should look like this," "if you smell burning you've
one image/angle to properly display the action.
overheated the iron, unplug it."

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