Spatial Pattern
Have you ever had to stop and ask for directions? If you are as directionally-challenged as I am, you have probably heard people tell you how to get somewhere based on the location of other places. For example, someone might tell you to 'turn by the gas station' or 'look for the big field of cows.' These directions use spatial relationships to help you navigate to your destination. Writing with a spatial pattern uses the concept of explaining how ideas relate to one another based on a physical space.
A spatial pattern is when writing is organized based on the location of items within an area. The purpose of writing with a spatial pattern is to help create an image of an item that is divided into distinct parts, whether it's a city with different destinations or the atmosphere with different layers of air.
For example, if you were asked to create a document explaining the parts of a computer, you might use a spatial pattern to organize information according to where items are located within the computer. You might have a paragraph about the monitor, a paragraph about the motherboard, a paragraph about the hard drive, and so on. The information about each part of the computer is arranged based on the location of the items within the computer, but the information itself could be about how each part works or what needs to be improved about each part. Focusing each paragraph on one area of the item keeps the writing organized and clear.
Chronological Pattern
When my husband asks me, 'How was your day?,' I almost always start with the first thing that happened in the morning and then proceed to explain every major event that occurred up to the point when he asked. My chronological recall of events is a natural pattern because we, as humans, are so obsessed with time.
The chronological pattern provides information based on the time it occurred. Each paragraph of the document will present information based on a specific time period - either past, present or future, first, next, finally, or before, during, and after.
Let's say that you are asked to create a document showing the past changes and new ideas for a popular toy. A chronological pattern would allow you to explain what the toy looked like when it was first created, what it currently looks like, and what suggestions you would have to improve the toy in the future.
Order of Importance Pattern
When you have a long list of things to do and a small amount of time in which to get them done, what do you do first? Most likely, you choose whatever activity seems the most important. The other stuff can wait if necessary, but the most important thing must be accomplished.
Often in the business world, our writing will consist of addressing issues that arise within the company. Using the order of importance pattern allows us to prioritize different issues that need to be addressed and clearly show which ones take precedence. Order of importance is organizing paragraphs so that the most pressing concern is addressed first. Order of importance is used to highlight the need to deal with certain issues before others.
A company preparing for a big presentation might need to send out a memo to its employees letting them know what needs to be done to make the presentation a success. The memo would probably be organized by explaining the biggest assignment that needs to be completed first, and less pressing assignments next, and so on. This organizational structure would help employees know the most pressing needs for completing the presentation, so the employees can organize their own work around what they need to do to complete the most important assignment.
Compare & Contrast Pattern
Have you ever tasted alligator? At a recent trip to the fair, I had the privilege (if you call it that) to taste a piece of fried alligator tail. I was hesitant at first to try it, until my husband assured me that it 'tastes like chicken.' Although I don't agree with his assessment, my husband was trying to help me feel more comfortable about the dish by comparing it to an experience I had already had. We compare and contrast items in our lives all the time because it helps us better understand an object, idea, or even food.
Compare and contrast organizational pattern explain how items are similar or different from one another. Usually, the writer will use one paragraph to explain how two items are alike and then a second paragraph to explain how two items are different.
A company preparing to release a new phone that may be slightly different from the phone they released two years ago might create a document that compares and contrasts the two phones so that consumers can decide if the new upgrades are worth the cost of the new product. Using the compare and contrast organizational pattern helps readers better understand an item when it is related to another, more familiar item.
Problem-Solution Pattern
Did you know that Americans spend millions of dollars in self-help books each year? Self-help books promise solutions to what seem to be a growing number of problems in our lives. If we're struggling with love, money, or overbearing parents, there's a book out there that provides solutions for how to deal with these issues. In business today, employers don't want to just hear about problems. Problems without solutions are just complaints. Using a problem-solution organizational format will show that you can identify potential ways to solve issues that arise in a company.
Problem-solution organizational patterns divide a document into two main sections: one that address a problem and one that provides solutions to the problem. Many times, the focus of the document is one solution and the purpose of the document is to convince the reader to support and act on that solution.
At the school where I once taught, we had a problem with students loitering around the campus after school. The principal sent out an email stating the problem and explaining his solution to the problem - take any student seen walking around campus directly to the office to call home. Because the principal clearly stated the problem and his solution to the problem, the staff was able to quickly begin carrying out his idea to fix the problem.
Lesson Summary
Choosing an organizational pattern for your writing will help keep your writing focused and will help your readers comprehend and retain the information within the document. The organizational pattern you choose will depend on your audience and the purpose for the document. The following five organizational patterns are commonly used in technical writing:
- Spatial writing is organized based on the location of items within an area.
- Chronological provides information based on the time it occurred.
- Order of importance organizes paragraphs so that the most pressing concern is addressed first.
- Compare and contrast explains how items are similar or different from one another.
- Problem-solution divides a document into two main sections - one that addresses a problem and one that provides solutions to the problem.
Be sure to choose an organizational pattern that will provide direction and emphasis for the point you are trying to make in your document.
Learning Outcomes
When you are done, you should be able to:
- Recall the importance of patterns in technical writing
- List and describe the 5 common organizational patterns used in technical communication
