1. How to Explain Technical
Topics to Non-Technical
Readers
Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
@LeslieO
First American
September 17, 2014

2. Thanks for the opportunity to present
this webinar!
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3. Webinar overview
1. How an expert technical reader differs
from a non-expert non-technical reader
2. What to do when you can’t meet
technical and non-technical readers’
needs in the same document
3. Four techniques for helping non-technical
readers: headings, analogies,
paraphrasing, and definitions
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4. What is technical writing,
anyway?

5. Is this technical writing?
Black Truffle and Bone
Marrow Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon diced raw bacon fat
2 tablespoons minced shallots
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ cup diced winter black truffle
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup veal demi glace
1 cup diced raw bone marrow, soaked in
milk for 24 hours
6 grams Texturas Xantana
¼ teaspoon squid ink
½ teaspoon truffle oil
I’m Chef
Jason
Wilson
METHOD:
Heat the butter in a sauté pan over
medium heat. Sweat the bacon fat,
shallots, garlic, thyme, and truffles
until the shallots are soft. Add the
chicken stock and veal demi glace
and bring to a simmer. Add the bone
marrow and simmer for 1 minute, or
just until the bone marrow is heated
through, but not yet rendering its fat.
Immediately transfer the liquid to a
blender. Blend on high and sprinkle
in the Xantana a pinch at a time.
Incorporate the squid ink and truffle
oil.
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6. The Society for Technical Communication
defines technical writing as any form of
communication that:
• communicates about technical or
specialized topics
• communicates through technology
• provides instructions about how to do
something
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7. Part 1: How an expert
technical reader differs from a
non-expert non-technical
reader

8. A tale of two readers
Nathan the non-expert Ellen the expert
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9. How do tech and non-tech readers differ?
1. How motivated is this
person to read?
2. How much reading
endurance does this person
have?
3. How large is this person’s
technical vocabulary?
4. How large is this person’s
appetite for data?
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10. Part 2: What to do when you
can’t meet technical and non-technical
readers’ needs in the
same document

11. Different versions for different readers
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12. For the non-technical reader
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13. For one type of technical reader
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14. For another type of technical reader
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15. In one document:
Different versions for different readers
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16. Part 3: Techniques for helping
non-technical readers: headings,
analogies, paraphrasing, and
definitions

17. Headings help non-technical readers
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18. Who are the intended readers of this
Guide? Technical or non-technical?
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19. Headings help non-technical readers
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20. Headings help non-technical readers
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21. Use analogies, paraphrasing, and definitions
The Remrak Coefficient
In the production of powdered detergents, spray drying is the technique
used to evaporate the solvent from the liquid reaction mixture and
physically form the finished powder product. In spray drying, the liquid is
sprayed into the top of a tall tower and allowed to fall freely to the bottom of
the tower, where it is removed as a dry powder. The solvent evaporates
during the course of the fall. Particles dried in this fashion have an unusual
shape, like that of a saddle or a Pringle's potato chip, and consequently fall
through the air in an unusual manner. Rather than falling in a vertical path,
the particles fall in a helical path. The shape of the helical (spiral) path is
described by the Remrak coefficient, which is the ratio of the diameter of
the helix to the height required for one passage of the particle around the
perimeter of the helix. The coefficient, which is a function of drying
conditions, is sought to be maximized, so that the length of flight of the
particle is made much greater than the actual height of the spray-drying
tower.
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22. Use analogies, paraphrasing, and definitions
The Remrak Coefficient
In the production of powdered detergents, spray drying is the technique
used to evaporate the solvent from the liquid reaction mixture and
physically form the finished powder product. In spray drying, the liquid
is sprayed into the top of a tall tower and allowed to fall freely to the bottom
of the tower, where it is removed as a dry powder. The solvent evaporates
during the course of the fall. Particles dried in this fashion have an
unusual shape, like that of a saddle or a Pringle's potato chip, and
consequently fall through the air in an unusual manner. Rather than falling
in a vertical path, the particles fall in a helical path. The shape of the helical
(spiral) path is described by the Remrak coefficient, which is the ratio of the
diameter of the helix to the height required for one passage of the particle
around the perimeter of the helix. The coefficient, which is a function of
drying conditions, is sought to be maximized, so that the length of flight of
the particle is made much greater than the actual height of the spray-drying
tower.
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23. Give an example
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25. Writing for technical and non-technical
readers? Consider the layer cake…
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26. A technical writing case study
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27. Plain language resources at CFPB
27

28. Questions? Comments?
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29. Let’s stay in touch…
Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
Leslie@ewriteonline.com
301-989-9583
www.ewriteonline.com
@LeslieO
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