The Secret to Streamlined IT Communication: Lessons from Dillard’s and Hurley Write

Outcomes

  • Improved clarity and conciseness in technical documents
  • Reduced customer support volume thanks to better help documentation
  • Greater confidence in writing and proofreading among IT staff
  • A reliable, repeatable writing process for ongoing success

“The best thing about the Hurley Write workshops is that they incorporated our real-work examples. The individuals who took time to submit samples received the most benefit from the course.”

– Sarah Gipson,
IT Training Manager for Dillard’s

Introduction

Dillard’s is one of the largest apparel, cosmetics, and home furnishings retailers in the US, with more than 300 stores across 29 states. Its IT department manages an enormous volume of data and provides technical support to both internal and external stakeholders. This support includes creating help documentation for end-users, drafting proposals to justify new IT projects, and outlining processes for in-house developers.

Clear and concise writing is critical in all these efforts. Well-crafted documentation can reduce the volume of customer service calls, while detailed yet straightforward proposals help management make informed decisions about IT initiatives. Developers also rely on easy-to-follow instructions to complete projects smoothly.

Background

For Dillard’s IT department, effective writing isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have. The team creates technical documents used by various stakeholders, from non-technical employees to executive leadership and external end-users. These documents require different levels of detail and clarity, often with tight turnaround times.

In particular:

  • Help Documentation: Ambiguous or poorly written support guides leave end-users in the dark, which leads to customer service calls.
  • Proposals: When Dillard’s IT team needs management approval for new technology purchases or initiatives, proposals must justify expenses concisely yet thoroughly.
  • Technical Instructions: Developers rely on precise specifications from IT business analysts. If instructions are unclear, projects can run over budget, cause delays, or fail entirely.

Recognizing the weight of these responsibilities, Dillard’s IT Training Manager, Sarah Gipson, sought a partner who could provide specialized, hands-on writing instruction. This search led her to Hurley Write.

Solutions Implemented by Hurley Write

Dillard’s needed more than a standard writing program; they required a specialized approach that would address their unique challenges. Hurley Write—a certified women-owned business recognized for tailoring writing programs to meet the specific needs of corporate and government clients—was what Sarah Gipson found to be the best fit. The elements of Hurley Write’s solution included:

1. Tailored Technical Writing Course

To maximize the impact of their training, Hurley Write meticulously tailored every stage of the process to align with Dillard’s specific needs:

  • Pre-Workshop Analysis:
  • Before launching the technical writing workshop,  Hurley Write requested and analyzed samples of IT documentation from the Dillard’s team.
    • This step revealed common pitfalls in clarity, tone, structure, and consistency that became focal points for the training.
  • Interactive Workshop Format:
    • Hands-On Exercises: Rather than relying on hypothetical case studies, attendees worked directly with Dillard’s actual technical documents, ensuring immediate relevance.
    • Small-Group Collaboration: Participants formed small groups to review and revise real-world examples, allowing them to brainstorm solutions and learn from each other’s approaches.
  • On-the-Spot Coaching:
    • Live Feedback: Pam Hurley and her team provided guidance on the spot. By seeing immediate results, participants retained best practices for clear, concise communication.
    • Repeatable Process: The workshop introduced a step-by-step approach to drafting and writing, making it easy to replicate effective writing techniques long after the workshop ended.
  • Post-Training:
    • Sustainable Change: Because the workshop was rooted in Dillard’s real work environment, participants found it intuitive to maintain the newly learned practices in their day-to-day tasks.

2. Presentation Skills Course

In addition to improving written communication, Dillard’s IT staff also needed to deliver concise, clear oral presentations for management and other stakeholders. Hurley Write provided a one-day course on effective presentation techniques, giving participants the tools to explain complex technical details in a way that was accessible to any audience.

By focusing on Dillard’s real documents and specific use cases, Hurley Write’s customized approach ensured that the training was both relevant and immediately applicable—providing the IT team with strategies they could put into practice on day one.

Results

By focusing on real-world examples and hands-on revisions, Hurley Write’s workshop yielded measurable improvements for Dillard’s IT department:

  • Clear, Repeatable Writing Process: Participants developed a consistent framework for planning, drafting, and revising documents, resulting in more concise and reader-friendly content.
  • Reduced Customer Service Calls: Better-structured help documentation made end-users more self-sufficient, decreasing the volume of support inquiries.
  • Greater Confidence in Communication: Both new and experienced team members found they could now clearly communicate complex ideas—whether through reports, presentations, or emails—without second-guessing their wording or organization.
  • Enhanced IT-Management Communication: Thanks to improved proposals and project outlines, the IT team was better equipped to justify new technologies and initiatives, ensuring smoother decision-making and stronger business cases.

Ongoing Adoption & Refinement: Impressed with the workshop’s results, Dillard’s engaged Hurley Write multiple times to train additional staff. The IT department continues to incorporate best practices from the workshop, reinforcing a company-wide culture of clear, effective communication.

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