Technical Managerial Written Skills from Coursera

Writing effective documents to influence teams and decision-makers is one of the essential elements of successful management. Additionally, in all of its forms, writing remains one of the primary vehicles by which a leader exercises leadership. Just like the other forms of communication, it must be coherent, complete, make a clear argument, and include appropriate decorum. This course focuses on these attributes as applied in all forms of modern written communication.

This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.

What's inside

Syllabus

Effective Managerial Writing

The best trait when working to achieve effective and professional writing is humility. Although all of us consider ourselves above-average writers, the fact is that there are only a few who rise above the rest with "perfect" documents that achieve "flow", and exercise exceptional word choice, correct paragraph sentence and paragraph structure, and perfect grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and hyphenation. These, then are the attributes and standards we hope to achieve starting with this first module. Our goal is that each of us rise above our current level of writing expertise.

The Letter To an External Customer [The Formal Letter]

The most fundamental business writing exercise is exemplified by the "Letter To the External Stakeholder". In addition, there are the larger questions that are addressed here. These include the viability of letter writing as a business practice; the fundamentals including formatting, grammar, punctuation, paragraph formation; the importance of word choice; and the very important practice of proofreading. All of this is an important first step for improving one's writing skills.

The Research Proposal

A common element of writing in business and industry is the Research Proposal. The "proposal" is a common tool in business and industry used to compete for future business. Proposals are not just statements of what you or your business are capable of doing; there will be many bidders who will make the same statement. Instead, your proposal must CONVINCE the customer that you are the best choice of vendor for their upcoming work. In the effort to convince them, you must write to the customer's primary concerns, create a clear mental picture for the reader of your proposal, be brief and concise, and be perfect in format and all of the other writing fundamentals. Therefore, I offer this module as support for this most-common form of business writing.

The Executive Summary

The most useful written tool for the aspiring manager-leader is the Executive Summary. Although it is usually found as the first element of a proposal, it can also be used to summarize facts and recommendations for your supervisor. So, in this module, we'll learn about the value of the one-page executive summary and how to apply the skills we learned in weeks 2 and 3 to make our executive summary even better.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops professional writing skills that are highly relevant to industry and leadership

Provides a comprehensive study of professional writing styles, techniques, and best practices

Teaches effective managerial writing which is essential for successful management in engineering

Covers various forms of written communication including letters, proposals, and executive summaries

Taught by Daniel Moorer, an expert in engineering management and communication

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Technical Managerial Written Skills with these activities:

Review effective writing

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Improve your written communication skills by reviewing key concepts of effective writing.

Browse courses on Writing Techniques

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Identify elements of effective writing
Analyze examples of well-written documents
Practice writing clear and concise sentences

Review grammar and punctuation

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Enhance your understanding of fundamental grammar and punctuation rules to improve the accuracy and clarity of your writing.

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Review grammar and punctuation concepts
Practice applying grammar and punctuation rules

Writing peer review and feedback

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Improve your writing skills and gain valuable feedback by engaging in peer review and feedback sessions.

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Exchange writing samples with a peer
Provide constructive feedback on each other's writing
Revise and improve your writing based on feedback

Six other activities

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Show all nine activities

Peer mentoring

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Strengthen your understanding of concepts by mentoring and assisting other learners in the course.

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Identify an area where you excel
Provide guidance and support to other learners
Engage in discussions and share resources

Review - On Writing Well by William Zinsser

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Gain insights into the art of writing from a renowned author and improve your ability to communicate effectively.

View Extraordinary Lives on Amazon

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Read the book and take notes on key principles
Apply the principles to your writing practice
Discuss the book's ideas with others

Letter writing practice

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Reinforce the fundamentals of letter writing and improve your ability to compose professional and persuasive letters.

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Review letter writing formats
Practice writing letters to various audiences
Receive feedback on your letters

Communicating with impact - Workshop

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Enhance your written communication skills through interactive workshops and discussions led by industry experts.

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Attend a workshop on effective writing
Participate in group exercises and discussions
Receive personalized feedback and guidance

Executive summary writing

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Learn best practices for writing effective executive summaries that capture key points and drive decision-making.

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Review examples of strong executive summaries
Identify key elements and structure of executive summaries
Practice writing executive summaries for different scenarios

Research proposal development

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Develop your skills in creating compelling research proposals that clearly articulate research questions, objectives, and methodologies.

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Identify a research topic and formulate a hypothesis
Review literature and conduct preliminary research
Write a research proposal outline
Draft and revise the research proposal

Career center

Learners who complete Technical Managerial Written Skills will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create user manuals, white papers, and other documents that explain technical information. They must be able to write clearly and concisely, and they must be able to understand and explain complex technical concepts. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Technical Writers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective technical documents. The course also covers the importance of user-centered writing, which is essential for creating documents that are easy to understand and use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Technical Communicator

Technical Communicators write and edit technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and marketing materials. They must be able to write clearly and concisely, and they must be able to understand and explain complex technical concepts. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Technical Communicators by providing them with the skills they need to write effective technical documents. The course also covers the importance of audience analysis, which is essential for creating documents that are tailored to the needs of the intended audience.

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Management Consultant

Management Consultants provide guidance to businesses on how to improve their performance. They analyze business processes, identify areas for improvement, and develop and implement solutions. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Management Consultants by providing them with the skills they need to write effective reports, proposals, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of clear and concise writing, which is essential for communicating complex information to clients.

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Engineering Manager

Engineering Managers lead and manage teams of engineers. They are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing engineering projects. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Engineering Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective reports, proposals, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of leadership and management skills, which are essential for success in this role.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, organize, and direct projects. They are responsible for ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Project Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective project plans, status reports, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of project management tools and techniques, which are essential for success in this role.

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Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts design and develop computer systems. They must be able to understand and analyze business requirements, and they must be able to create and implement technical solutions. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Systems Analysts by providing them with the skills they need to write effective system requirements documents, design documents, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of systems analysis and design techniques, which are essential for developing systems that meet the needs of users.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes and identify areas for improvement. They develop and implement solutions that can help businesses improve their performance. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Business Analysts by providing them with the skills they need to write effective business analysis reports, proposals, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of data analysis and modeling, which are essential for identifying areas for improvement.

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Product Manager

Product Managers lead the development and launch of new products. They are responsible for defining the product vision, setting the product roadmap, and working with engineers and designers to bring the product to market. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Product Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective product requirements documents, marketing materials, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of user research and feedback, which are essential for developing products that meet the needs of customers.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and test software systems. They must be able to understand and analyze user requirements, and they must be able to create and implement technical solutions. They must be able to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Software Engineers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective software requirements documents, design documents, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of software engineering tools and techniques, which are essential for developing software systems that meet the needs of users.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make better decisions. They must be able to understand and analyze data, and they must be able to communicate their findings effectively. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Data Scientists by providing them with the skills they need to write effective data analysis reports, presentations, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of data visualization and communication, which are essential for communicating complex data insights to non-technical audiences.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data and make recommendations on investments. They must be able to understand and analyze financial statements, and they must be able to communicate their findings effectively. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course can help Financial Analysts by providing them with the skills they need to write effective financial analysis reports, presentations, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of financial modeling and valuation, which are essential for understanding and making recommendations on investments.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers lead and manage operations departments. They are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing operations activities, and they must be able to communicate effectively with both employees and management. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course may be useful for Operations Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective operations plans, procedures, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of operations management tools and techniques, which are essential for planning and managing operations activities effectively.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers lead and manage human resources departments. They are responsible for developing and implementing HR policies and procedures, and they must be able to communicate effectively with both employees and management. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course may be useful for Human Resources Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective HR policies, procedures, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of HR law and compliance, which are essential for developing and implementing HR policies that are compliant with the law.

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Sales Manager

Sales Managers lead and manage teams of salespeople. They are responsible for setting sales targets, developing sales strategies, and motivating and training salespeople. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course may be useful for Sales Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective sales plans, proposals, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of leadership and management skills, which are essential for success in this role.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns to promote products and services. They must be able to understand and analyze customer needs, and they must be able to create and implement marketing strategies. The Technical Managerial Written Skills course may be useful for Marketing Managers by providing them with the skills they need to write effective marketing plans, proposals, and other documents that will influence decision-makers. The course also covers the importance of marketing research and analytics, which are essential for understanding customer needs and developing effective marketing campaigns.

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