Comments on: Communicating With Engineers, What You Need to Know http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Sun, 19 May 2013 20:29:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Deepa Pillai http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-61581 Deepa Pillai Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:06:28 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-61581 Just wondering if you have any tips for technical professionals to communicate technical information to non-technical people. They would need to watch their jargon and learn to simplify their language. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks. Deepa Just wondering if you have any tips for technical professionals to communicate technical information to non-technical people. They would need to watch their jargon and learn to simplify their language. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

Deepa

]]> By: Whitney http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-23555 Whitney Fri, 22 Jun 2007 03:42:24 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-23555 Having finally dug from things (which took longer than expected), I came up with a couple of lists. Text: http://connected-content.com/blog/2007/06/04/writing-for-engineers-other-techies/ Graphics: http://connected-content.com/blog/2007/06/06/creating-graphics-for-engineers-other-techies/ Having finally dug from things (which took longer than expected), I came up with a couple of lists.

Text: http://connected-content.com/blog/2007/06/04/writing-for-engineers-other-techies/

Graphics: http://connected-content.com/blog/2007/06/06/creating-graphics-for-engineers-other-techies/

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12895 Michael Stelzner Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:53:22 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12895 Eric and Jon - Thanks so much for adding to the discussion! - Mike Eric and Jon - Thanks so much for adding to the discussion! - Mike

]]> By: Jon Speer http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12845 Jon Speer Fri, 23 Feb 2007 04:02:32 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12845 Good news--I'm an engineer and can help shed some light on this topic. All comments to date are spot on. Engineers want communication to be black and white--no gray, no fluff. Stick to the facts. Engineers (and I'm generalizing) are perfectionists. Engineers (another generalization) are also pessimists (most will tell you its realism, not pessimism). Engineers do appreciate technical-speak. But beware: not all engineers speak the same technical language. Key point--know the audience. Each engineer has his/her own opinion about how the world works. Sometimes one or more engineer will share similar views. However, there will be nuances and differences in the details. And with engineers, the devil is in the details. I've participated in and observed all too many "discussions" where the most trivial details are debated. Yes, engineers are quirky. Good news–I’m an engineer and can help shed some light on this topic. All comments to date are spot on. Engineers want communication to be black and white–no gray, no fluff. Stick to the facts.
Engineers (and I’m generalizing) are perfectionists. Engineers (another generalization) are also pessimists (most will tell you its realism, not pessimism).
Engineers do appreciate technical-speak. But beware: not all engineers speak the same technical language. Key point–know the audience.
Each engineer has his/her own opinion about how the world works. Sometimes one or more engineer will share similar views. However, there will be nuances and differences in the details. And with engineers, the devil is in the details. I’ve participated in and observed all too many “discussions” where the most trivial details are debated.
Yes, engineers are quirky.

]]> By: Eric Murphy http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12828 Eric Murphy Fri, 23 Feb 2007 01:07:54 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12828 First of all, don't assume your audience is all male, since they are many women in engineering/programmer roles, otherwise you're liable to make embarrassing gender based mistakes (Sorry Whitney!) See what happens when I don't do my research, or proof-read? One thing is to present a balanced view. Engineers are skeptical of too-good-to-be-true articles, and the first question is 'what's the gotcha'? It's can be tricky to present drawbacks in a case study or whitepaper, but when done right, it lends credibility. Otherwise the good points get forgotten as the reader begins assuming or imagining what the downside must be. An engineer's real job is dealing with the things when they go wrong, so they are a pessimistic lot. Eric Murphy OPC Exchange http://blog.matrikonopc.com First of all, don’t assume your audience is all male, since they are many women in engineering/programmer roles, otherwise you’re liable to make embarrassing gender based mistakes (Sorry Whitney!) See what happens when I don’t do my research, or proof-read?

One thing is to present a balanced view. Engineers are skeptical of too-good-to-be-true articles, and the first question is ‘what’s the gotcha’? It’s can be tricky to present drawbacks in a case study or whitepaper, but when done right, it lends credibility. Otherwise the good points get forgotten as the reader begins assuming or imagining what the downside must be. An engineer’s real job is dealing with the things when they go wrong, so they are a pessimistic lot.

Eric Murphy
OPC Exchange
http://blog.matrikonopc.com

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12784 Michael Stelzner Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:18:47 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12784 Hi Eric; Thanks for your comments! What are some other character traits of engineers that are important to consider when writing to them? By the way, Whitney is a she, not a he. I am sure she will forgive you. :) Mike Hi Eric;

Thanks for your comments!

What are some other character traits of engineers that are important to consider when writing to them?

By the way, Whitney is a she, not a he. I am sure she will forgive you. :)

Mike

]]> By: Eric Murphy http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12779 Eric Murphy Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:58:02 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12779 As an engineer, who writes for engineers, I'd say Whitney is on the money with his comments. Engineers/programmers tend to be logical, no-nonsense people with little time to waste. They want to be informed, not sold, on things that will improve efficiency and saves costs. That may be a broad stereotype, but I know a lot of engineers, and they fit the mold :) I wouldn’t say you have to be an engineer to write to engineers. (Most engineers are not good writers :) ) But, as others have commented, you have to KNOW what you are talking about, or you lose credibility and your audience quickly. Eric Murphy OPC Exchange http://blog.matrikonopc.com As an engineer, who writes for engineers, I’d say Whitney is on the money with his comments. Engineers/programmers tend to be logical, no-nonsense people with little time to waste. They want to be informed, not sold, on things that will improve efficiency and saves costs. That may be a broad stereotype, but I know a lot of engineers, and they fit the mold :)

I wouldn’t say you have to be an engineer to write to engineers. (Most engineers are not good writers :) ) But, as others have commented, you have to KNOW what you are talking about, or you lose credibility and your audience quickly.

Eric Murphy
OPC Exchange
http://blog.matrikonopc.com

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12718 Michael Stelzner Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:55:25 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12718 Whitney - You made some excellent points! Thanks for your response - Mike Whitney - You made some excellent points! Thanks for your response - Mike

]]> By: Katie http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12700 Katie Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:31:09 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12700 "Do you all think only engineers can write to engineers?" Good point. In very specific applications this may be the case or they must work closely with the writer. However, a good writer is a good researcher. “Do you all think only engineers can write to engineers?”

Good point. In very specific applications this may be the case or they must work closely with the writer. However, a good writer is a good researcher.

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12698 Michael Stelzner Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:03:02 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/02/21/writing-to-engineers/#comment-12698 Do you all think only engineers can write to engineers? Do you all think only engineers can write to engineers?

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