Unlike the memo project, which consisted mainly of critiques of given usables, the technical description consisted mainly of a dispassionate description of objects and usables.  The task was to describe a physical object, one that is relevant to our particular field of engineering.   A technical description is the kind of document that often accompanies a product in a manual, and is often found alongside other supplementary information such as instructions on the product’s use (which we also crafted for other objects/processes).  Its main purpose is to provide the reader with an understanding of the object or process in hand, whether or not they have direct access to it.  My tech description happened to appeal both to readers with a slide rule and readers without one.  A tech description generally includes:

• Introduction – orients the reader, outlines the document, and provides information to help the reader get the most out of the description itself
• Background – not necessarily as crucial as the introduction or other elements but important to drawing the reader in and contextualizing the importance of the object at hand
• Description of characteristics – often divided into the components of the object, a detailed explanation of the qualities of the object/part, including specifications
• Description of processes – if the object is mechanical/usable, an explanation of what it does, how it works, and how the user can best engage with these functions
• Conclusion – sums up the document and also mentions the overall function of the object 
• Graphics – should be relevant to the object or process and complement the descriptions

This project is the one that largely initiated our foray into our chosen field, as the business letter and memo were more general in their focus.  My description of the slide rule is multifaceted and also quite unique, in that it describes a largely obsolete member of the engineer’s toolbelt and has multiple audiences that are quite distinct and have very different needs in regards to a tech description.  It also describes “processes” and “components” for something that is not really that mechanically-oriented.  My fixes consisted somewhat of editing of punctuation, but there was also a significant amount of revision of formatting and framing in order to make the sections and purpose of the document as clear and user-friendly as possible.

Tech Description Final Revised

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