How a Custom Writing Workshop Transformed Technical Communication at Celgene

Results

Immediate improvement of clarity in technical reports and documentation.
Long-term improvement in writing quality and processes.
Enhanced team-wide communication with tailored writing skills.

“Since the workshop, I’ve received positive feedback from others describing their experience and how it has helped them improve their writing.”

– Jennifer Paredes,
Associate Scientist, Celgene

Introduction

Celgene, a global biopharmaceutical company, is renowned for its groundbreaking research and development (R&D) in cellular therapeutics. Its R&D department is at the forefront of creating innovative cell therapy candidates to combat diseases such as Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Within this specialized scientific environment, Jennifer Paredes, an R&D Associate Scientist, plays a critical role by focusing on the mechanics of cell behaviors—work that is pivotal in developing novel therapeutic solutions.

In her role, Paredes conducts experiments, analyzes data, and documents her findings in detailed technical reports.

These reports are integral to Celgene’s mission. They record experiment details and communicate key results and next steps to internal teams and stakeholders. Given their role in advancing scientific research and development, the accuracy and clarity of these documents are paramount.

Background

For Paredes, precision and accuracy were second nature in the laboratory, but translating those qualities into her technical reports proved far more challenging. Her work at Celgene’s Cellular Therapeutics R&D department required clear, concise, and well-structured documentation of experiments, results, and next steps.

However, without formal training in scientific technical writing, Paredes found herself struggling to communicate complex scientific information effectively.

The challenges she faced included:

Clarity and Structure: Communicating intricate experimental details in a way that was easily understandable for a variety of readers.
Reader Focus: Adapting her writing style to meet the needs of readers with varying levels of scientific expertise.
Conciseness: Striking the right balance between providing detailed explanations and avoiding verbosity.

Realizing the importance of improving her technical writing skills, Paredes began searching for a training program that could address her specific needs.

The challenge, however, was finding a solution tailored to the unique demands of scientific writing. Many available courses were too generic and failed to address the specialized requirements of her role. This left Paredes searching for a program that could help her bridge the gap between her scientific expertise and her ability to communicate effectively.

Solution: Hurley Write

Paredes found the solution to her technical writing challenges in Hurley Write. Recognizing the need for a specialized approach, Hurley Write designed a custom scientific/technical writing course tailored specifically to the unique demands of Celgene’s R&D team. The course was led by Pam Hurley, Ph.D., Hurley Write’s founder and a seasoned expert in enhancing professional communication.

The course was meticulously structured to address the Celgene team’s challenges while empowering them to improve their writing skills. Key features of the solution included:

Customized Content: The training program was specifically designed to align with the team’s work, using real-world examples from their research and technical documents.
Interactive Learning: Participants engaged in practical exercises, group discussions, and collaborative activities to reinforce learning and improve retention.
Emphasis on Writing Fundamentals: Dr. Hurley focused on the essentials of clear, concise, and reader-focused writing, helping participants build a strong foundation for effective communication.
Audience-Centered Approach: The course emphasized the importance of understanding the reader’s needs, ensuring that technical documents were accessible and impactful for all readers.

Paredes appreciated the depth of knowledge and the engaging teaching style that Dr. Hurley brought to the workshop. She particularly valued the group exercises, where team members could collaborate and learn from one another.

“Pam made sure to establish the fundamentals of writing and apply those fundamentals in our writing examples. Her knowledge and experience are what made the workshop so effective.”

– Paredes

Results

Hurley Write’s customized technical writing course had an immediate and transformative impact on Jennifer Paredes and her team at Celgene. By applying the strategies learned during the training, they saw significant improvements in their writing and communication processes.

1. Immediate Improvements

Enhanced Clarity and Conciseness: Paredes adopted a more direct writing style, ensuring her reports clearly conveyed the main point within the first few lines. She learned to avoid verbosity and focus on precision, making her documents more accessible.
Improved Audience Focus: The course emphasized tailoring content to meet the needs of specific readers, which helped Paredes craft reports that were clear and highly relevant to intended readers.

2. Long-Term Benefits

Reliable Writing Process: Paredes developed a habit of rereading and refining her work to ensure it was structured, clear, and purposeful. This systematic approach became a repeatable process for creating high-quality technical documents.
Consistent Feedback: Since completing the course, Paredes has received positive feedback from her colleagues, who noted a marked improvement in the clarity and organization of her reports.

3. Team-Wide Impact

The training’s benefits extended beyond Paredes to the entire R&D team. Team members reported similar improvements in their writing skills and communication practices, creating a ripple effect across the department.
The newfound clarity and structure in technical documents facilitated better collaboration and more efficient knowledge-sharing within the team.