Successes and failures in presenting technology to the lay public

Case studies of successful and unsuccessful technical presentations show how the basic principles of technical writing were observed or ignored. Industrial companies, and local, state, and national governments are included. It is concluded that, in these times of rapid technology changes, it becomes necessary to present the lay public with information about the technology. It must be done successfully so that public tasks that governments and industries have been empowered by the public to perform can be done. Translating technology to the lay public requires a greater emphasis on what the audience will do with the information.<>