REFLECTIVE MEMO
JARED GROGAN
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DATE:
FALLEN HALABOU
ENG 3050 – PROJECT 4
DECEMBER 16, 2015
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout this semester’s course, I have learned a great deal of new information
also while improving my skills as a technical writer. Upon enrollment, I had little experience
with technical pieces of writing. My knowledge went as far as writing a cover letter and that
was due to self-teaching through a quick google search. Thankfully under the guidance of
Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach written by Paul Anderson, and Professor
Jared Grogan, my technical writing skills have evolved tremendously.
The student learning outcomes of this course are as follows:

Reading and Analyzing

Writing and Designing

Researching and Documenting

The use of technology and media
Through the processes of each project and assignments, there was focus on these
four outcomes. For the intended purpose of this reflection, I will reflect specifically on the
outcomes of writing and designing, researching and documenting, and the use of technology
and media through the processes of project one, two, and three.
CONTENT:
The first project was a genre of writing I thought I had mastered, again, thanks to
google. This was to develop a resume and cover letter, then tailor it to a specific job posting
that I could apply for in the near future. My experience and skills were to be updated as if I
was a few years beyond my current knowledge. This included adding skills in my resume that
I had yet to develop such as, web design, which I later learned to do through this project as I
also had to create an online professional portfolio that showcased my skills and experience.
This project kick-started the development of my technical skills. In regards to the learning
outcome: writing and designing, I learned a great deal. I reworded my skills and experience
sections to better credit my abilities. This was done by lengthening each listing under the
headers. Adding length also took up inactive white space, therefore it bettered the design of
my resume. In the feedback, Professor Grogan mentioned I, “should really work at spacing out
the content to a full page or two full pages. Given the content decisions above, you might consider expanding
but if you added a double list to the education section, and also perhaps cut some of the experiences accordingly
so that they are about half the length.” With this I will go back and edit the design of my resume
more precisely using the sixth basic design principles discussed in Teaching Text Design, by
KIhramer and Berndhart as well as through the Technical Writer’s Workshop process from
September 17. The cover letter had no revision suggestions on design, however in writing, I
will have to go back and better direct my understanding in the job tasks I will be doing when
hired.
The online portfolio will be updated, as additions were mentioned in the feedback. This part
of the project emphasized a lot of focus on learning to design and use technology to convey
my writing into another format. This differs from the objective of a resume in ways that
employers will see more of the skills I possess through projects that would be unlisted on a
resume. In the updates of my collective portfolio, I will instill the changes suggested by
Grogan, and especially spend time on creating a cleaner, professional design.
Through project two, a contribution to WikiHow.com, the leaning outcome, Writing
and Design were the foundation of the project. I had to express to readers interested in
beginning a powerlifting plan, How to Powerlift without a Coach. In chapter 28 of
Anderson, he gives instructions on how to create an effective set of instructions. I used this
chapter as a guide through the construction of content. Design was a major learning
outcome that was actually more time consuming and difficult for me than designing the
online portfolio in project one. The reason being that WikiHow had me switch over to a
coding format, which is something I had never done, but that was another learning outcome:
Technology and Media. Research, Documenting, and Media are collective learning outcomes
through this project as I had to spend hours watching videos on powerlifting, read articles,
ask powerlifters I knew, then take all my findings and put them into a short, reader-centered
genre. Along with my Research and Documentation was orchestrating and observing the
users as they ran through a user test of my instruction set. This was fun as well as helpful in
providing feedback for me to better my instructions.
Even though we wrote a memo after the first project, I did not fully understand the structure
and purpose of a memo until project 2b. The most impactful part of this project was the
memo because it essentially taught me how to write memos with different target audiences
and purposes. Immediately following this project, I had to implement the criteria at my job:
write an instruction set, user test manual, and programmed settings cheat sheet for a new
blender. The learning outcomes were especially influential to me through this project and if I
were to redo this project now, I would not change my process much at all. Also, chapter 23
in Anderson is a guide I refer back to when ever confused about purpose, structure, or
content.
In the final project, I was part of a team that created a feasibility report for the
addition of a designated plyometric/callisthenic area in the Wayne State University
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Recreation Center. My role in the group was the Team Leader; it was my responsibility to be
the line of communication between Grogan and the team, organize team meetings, agendas,
and assign specific tasks to each member that I would then oversee to make sure each part
fit the purpose of the feasibility. This project showed me a new dynamic in group
collaboration in a way that made each member responsible for their own part in relation to
the project as a whole. The learning outcome, Writing and Design, were a large role in the
report, however I feel that my part in that role was not as prominent. Jackie was the main
editor of the report, therefore her design strategies were used most. What I learned most of
this project was under the outcome of Technology and Media, as we used Google Docs to
simultaneously edit the report. Personally, I now loathe Google Docs and am even more a
Microsoft fan. If had to do this project again now, I would do many things different. I was
confused and overwhelmed during most of the project, which lead me to stray away from
taking responsibility until my group was behind. I waited for someone else to take direction,
which is contrary to my role. I also learned that I need to distribute work tasks better in a
group, if assigned team leader again. Furthermore, I took notice of my group members’ loss
in direction at times as a way to become more of an asset as a group member, not just as a
team leader.
Learning to write a feasibility report taught me the importance of that genre in a professional
setting. Especially so in my major, Information Systems Management, I intend to become a
business analyst in which I will need to address problems in processes and procedures then
present possible and effective solutions. Businesses are always looking for their analyst to
catch money going to waste and one of the biggest criteria sections in the project was the
factor of cost. Our report showed the presented solution to save WSU money while making
the utmost use of their facilities in regards to the students’ wants.
CONCLUSION:
My work this semester has met the learning outcomes of this course through each
project, as explained in detail above. In terms of design, the short reading assignment,
Teaching Text Design, by KIhramer and Berndhart is a document that I will refer back to when
editing the designs of documents, webpages, and others related. Excuse me for forgetting his
name, but the guest that came into class during our time in the project one stage of the
semester also taught me to balance the white space – active vs. inactive, etc. On October 1,
we met in a computer lab to be introduced to the process and characteristics of writing an
instruction set. We were given a picture of a hand cracking an egg and were asked to give
instructions on how to crack an egg with one hand, based upon the picture. This process
also introduced the importance of design elements, clarity, communication in terms of the
use of words and effectiveness of explanation, and a little introduction to team collaboration.
That day I remember that the objective and importance of this course was clear to me and I
was excited for what was to come. I found Grogan’s agenda pages in line with Anderson’s
guide made each project almost fool-proof, in a way that the structure was set up and it was
my job to plug in the information. This course broadened my knowledge and capabilities in
technical writing and communication.
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