Introduction

🗣 "At the end of the day, why do we write, why do we speak? It is because there are ideas and things that we feel are important that we want to convey to someone else."

• Mehran Sahami

Writing Matters!

📺 Watch this video to learn why writing is essential for computer scientists and how writing can help improve the way you think.

There is a common misconception that writing is not an important skill for professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. However, as mentioned in the video, technical professionals with poor writing skills often reduce the impact and effectiveness of their work. If no one can understand what you have done, the quality of your work can become irrelevant.

The technology industry is increasingly characterised by a global, distributed workforce. For example, suppose you are based in Nairobi and work with colleagues in California. The 10-hour time difference means that you will rarely have meetings and will instead rely on written communications to share information, give instructions, and build relationships.

Therefore, writing skills consistently top the list of skills employers look for in job candidates. Vivek Ravisankar, CEO of HackerRank, the market leader for technical interviews, notes that the shift to hybrid and remote work means that "writing is the most important new skill for tech workers, regardless of role." Technical professionals write every day, from sending emails to their colleagues to creating product manuals for customers to drafting technical reports that summarise the outcomes of their work. As such, writing well is a prerequisite for success in the Future of Work.

Learning Outcomes

This module aims to introduce you to practices of effective writing. After completing the module, you will:

• Assess the efficacy of your writing and identify areas for improvement
• Learn a framework for evaluating the quality of communication, and apply it to written communication
• Understand writing as an iterative process with clearly defined, sequential steps
• Draft a technical blog post to practice effective technical writing