Technical Business Writing course
Find out how to write documents for any media or audience, and about any technical or business subject
This introductory, yet in-depth course is available to all UCT staff, students and off-campus guests. It will equip you to write documents for any media or audience, and about any technical or business subject.
This course does not specifically cover the writing of business letters, reports, memos and email messages, although the methods taught can be applied to these.
Upon completion of the course you will be able to:
- Understand the value of organisational documentation, who your audience is and how they navigate the documentation you create.
- Use a documentation template in Microsoft Word, as well as other Word features that support writing.
- Apply an international writing methodology to all types of writing.
- Use the correct approach, language and layout for different kinds of information.
- Assess web pages and graphics for usability.
- Construct easy to read, step-by-step procedures.
- Construct business policies, sets of rules, guidelines and proposals.
- Design a basic business flowchart and draw it up in Microsoft Visio.
- Construct various kinds of overviews, including quick reference guides.
- Access and apply international standards for language, style and technical phrases.
- Plan documentation work as part of a larger project or as a project in itself.
- Analyse a documentation project of your own and carry it through from first to final draft.
Training format
- Six days of classroom-based instruction.
- Two weeks spent preparing individual written projects in own time interspersed with 2 one-on-one sessions with a trainer.
You need to put aside about 20 hours of your own time in the weeks following the classroom sessions to write your individual project. There are also two one-on-one review sessions with a trainer which you must attend. In the final session, successful participants present their projects and receive a course certificate.
- One morning, two weeks after course, in which documentation projects are presented.
| Booking information | Prerequisites | Costs | Venue |
| You need to book on both the Technical and Business Writing course and the Technical and Business Writing - Project Presentation session. | A good working knowledge of the Internet and Microsoft Word, and a strong command of the English language. | The cost of the course is broken down into the course and the presentation. Full cost (incl. VAT): R5100 (R2100 + R2100 + R900) Reduced fee: R2600 for UCT staff and students (R1090 + R1090 + R420). The full fee for external participants and the reduced fee for UCT members will be charged for late cancellations (i.e. not notifying us five or more working days before start of the course). |
Cambria Computer Lab, Cambria House, Middle Campus. Catering: Tea and coffee, and a light lunch will be served. |
UCT documentation template
| Application | Template file | Used for |
| Microsoft Word This template contains heading, paragraph and font styles which are available via a toolbar. It also includes help icons for notes, cautions and examples. Certain versions of the template include images of SAP buttons which can be inserted in your documentation via a toolbar, as well as suggested headings for certain topic types. The templates are maintained by the Content Architecture team, Systems Division. Please contact us if you have any questions about the templates. Note: If you are using Microsoft Word 2007, 2010 or 2013, please read this guide: Working with the UCT Microsoft Word template If you are using Microsoft Word 2003, please read the following topic: Using the UCT documentation template for Microsoft Word 2003 Caution: Do not open the template itself or edit it in any way. |
Template: UCT2014_Arial_comprehensive_Word2010_with_macros.dotm Zipped file: UCT2014_Arial_comprehensive_Word2010_with_macros.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
All types of documentation. This macro-enabled version was created for Microsoft Word 2010 and later versions and contains topic layouts for various topic types (Arial font with SAP buttons). |
| Template: UCT2009_Arial_comprehensive.dot Zipped file: UCT2009_Arial_comprehensive.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
All types of documentation, including procedures for SAP. This version contains topic layouts for various topic types (Arial font with SAP buttons). | |
| Template: UCT2009_Arial.dot Zipped file: UCT2009_Arial.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
All types of documentation (Arial font). | |
| Template: UCT2009_Times_comprehensive.dot Zipped file: UCT2009_Times_comprehensive.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
All types of documentation, including procedures for SAP. This version contains topic layouts for various topic types (Times New Roman font with SAP buttons). | |
| Template: UCT2009_Times.dot Zipped file: UCT2009_Times.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
All types of documentation (Times New Roman font). | |
| Zipped file: UCT2009_all_templates.zip To save: Right-click this link and choose Save Target As... |
Downloading all templates at once (zipped folder of all templates). |
| Microsoft Visio This template contains a stencil and buttons to aid in applying the UCT Visio standards. The template is maintained by the Content Architecture team, Systems Division (SD). Please contact us if you have any questions. |
UCT_Template_2013.vstx | Template file (Visio 2013) |
| UCT_Template_2010.vst | Template file (Visio 2010) | |
| Cross-functional _flowchart_shapes_vertical_2010.vss | Template file (Visio 2010) | |
| UCT stencil.vss | Template file | |
| UCT_template_2003.vst | Template file (Visio 2003 and Visio 2007) | |
| Cross-functional flowchart shapes vertical.vss | Template file (Visio 2003 and Visio 2007) | |
| Working_with_Visio_at_uct.docx | Microsoft Word document, includes:
|