How to Write About Technical Products for a Diverse Audience
Explaining Complex Tools Without Losing Anyone at the Table
Imagine being handed a new ECG machine to promote. It’s packed with upgraded sensors, AI-based diagnostics, and a slick touchscreen interface. Great product! But now you need to explain it to a diverse audience, comprising cardiologists, hospital tech buyers, biomedical engineers, and everyday readers who simply want to know how it works.
How do you write about a technical tool or product in a way that everyone can understand and care about it?
How do you explain your product clearly without alienating half your readers?
Let’s break down six steps to help you achieve this level of depth and precision.
1. Lead With the “Why”
Before you get into features or technical specs, answer this:
Why should anyone care about this product?
Using the ECG as an example, before you get into signal processing or lead placement, start with why it matters.
“Heart disease remains the world’s leading cause of death. That’s why every second of accurate cardiac monitoring matters.”
Lead with the problem it solves or the outcome it improves. This creates an emotional or practical connection that transcends expertise. Focus on the human relevance, not just technical novelty.
2. Layer the Information
Think of your writing like an onion: peelable by interest level.
Level 1: Simple overview
“An ECG machine records the electrical signals of the heart to detect abnormalities.”
Level 2: High-level feature explanation
“This model uses AI to detect arrhythmias in real-time, reducing diagnostic delays.”
Level 3: Technical specifics (for those who want/understand it)
“The upgraded 12-lead system offers 500Hz sampling for each channel, enhancing waveform resolution.”
3. Use Analogies To Clarify
Analogies help unfamiliar readers understand and give experts a way to explain the product to others.
For example:
“Think of the ECG like a seismograph for your heart — it records every ‘tremor’ in the heartbeat so doctors can spot signs of trouble.”
A biomedical engineer may not need this analogy, but they’ll appreciate your effort to bridge that gap, especially when explaining the machine to a non-technical audience.
4. Make Every Feature About a Benefit
Technical product/project details in isolation don’t sell. Tie each technical detail to a clear beneficial outcome:
Instead of this:
“Features 24-bit ADC with improved signal fidelity.”
Try this:
“Captures cleaner signals, helping doctors detect subtle heart issues earlier.”
People don’t buy features. They buy what those features do for them.
5. Balance Precision with Simplicity
It’s tempting to dumb things down, but it’s better to simplify while respecting the technicality of subject.
Instead of this:
“The ECG captures depolarization and repolarization events across myocardial tissue.”
Try this:
“It records the heart’s electrical rhythm — when it beats and rests — to check if everything is functioning normally.”
6. Write to Spark Curiosity and Build Trust
Your tone should be inviting. Even in technical descriptions, clarity builds credibility. A diverse audience includes skeptics. They may not know the tech, but they can spot fluff.
For example:
“If you’ve ever had those sticky patches on your chest during a hospital check-up, that’s an ECG in action.”
Or
“The tool works best with structured data, and upcoming updates will improve unstructured data support.”
You are writing to sell, but your tone should be informative, not salesy. Be honest about limitations and never assume prior knowledge.
To wrap this up, explaining a technical product to a mixed audience is part art, part strategy. It is paramount to simplify the technical jargon, just enough for it to be understood, and retain specific details just enough to show depth of knowledge.
At the end of the day, people trust what they understand and buy what they trust. That should be the most important consideration in descriptive technical writing.
