English 421: Technical Writing

This weekly article, although extremely specific, was of great help to me this weekend. It comes from Hewlett Packard, and in particular for their Deskjet 5440 Printer. While the content is not that important for this class, the style and setup is. My printer was failing to turn on this weekend, and so I found this article and followed it step by step until I was able to diagnose the problem. The author made identification very easy, and the solution was very understandable. 

 

The article begins with the issue, which is the equivalent to the object/first paragraph in a white paper. It creates that “affinity” with the reader. It is short and to the point: “The product does not turn on and there are no light indications.” I’m hooked in now, ready to go. The next key part of the article is that is offers the solution in a simple, four step process. This gives the reader hope that the answer is not too long or complex, and can be resolved (or at least identified) rather quickly. 

 

The first step to the solution is to identify what the user has as far as components, in order to direct the reader to the appropriate solution. In this case, the article focuses on power supply first, and the classification of whether the printer uses a power cord or power module (adapter). At the end of this step, the user is directed to the appropriate step depending on their power source, which eliminates needless reading and allows the reader to get to the solution even quicker. This can also be an important element for white papers as well. As a writer, you may have to implicitly or explicitly direct the reader to a certain section of the paper if they do not need to read information that does not pertain to them. 

 

The corresponding steps for each possible source of the problem walk the user through the diagnosis, each with their own sub-steps. The final step in the entire process culminates with three options: 1. The user has fixed the problem, 2. The user has identified the problem and needs to order a new part, or 3. The user has not solved the problem and needs further assistance. The first option allows the user to go about their day, the second is only a few clicks (and a few days) away from being fixed, and the last option calls for the printer itself to be serviced. 

 

This article offers the key elements to any type of technical documentation (white paper and otherwise), because it creates affinity with the reader, offers solutions, directs the reader to appropriate information, and culminates with options for the user to follow up with.