Technical Writing with Generative AI: A Skills Accelerator for Engineering Teams

Overview

uconn engineering technical writing blue book coverThis hands-on, noncredit short course teaches engineering professionals to use generative AI tools for technical writing. Participants will practice prompt engineering, generate and refine technical content, and critically evaluate AI-assisted research. The course addresses ethical and legal considerations, including authorship and intellectual property.

Program Focus

AI-Enhanced Communication for Engineers

This course blends practical writing strategies with emerging AI capabilities to help engineers communicate more clearly, efficiently, and responsibly. Participants will gain confidence in using AI tools to support their writing process while maintaining ownership and accountability for their work.

Session Focus

Technical Writing with Generative AI

In this course, participants will:

  • Exercise prompt engineering to generate technical content

  • Review, edit, and assess AI-generated content

  • Use AI tools to draft, revise, and tailor writing for different audiences.

  • Conduct and analyze research using AI, with a focus on source credibility.

  • Understand the implications of AI-generated content on authorship and IP.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Design and refine prompts to guide AI-generated technical writing.

  • Compose clear, concise, and audience-appropriate technical documents.

  • Use AI tools to support research and evaluate the reliability of sources.

  • Identify ethical and legal considerations in AI-assisted writing.

  • Communicate technical information effectively across stakeholder groups.

Skills and Benefits of this course

Why Take This Course?

  • Stay Competitive: As AI becomes a standard tool in engineering workflows, professionals must know how to use it effectively and responsibly.

  • Communicate with Impact: Clear, audience-specific writing is essential for collaboration, compliance, and innovation.

  • Work Smarter: Learn how to use AI to reduce time spent on documentation while improving quality and consistency.

What’s Useful in This Course?

  • Prompt Engineering: Learn how to guide AI tools to generate accurate, relevant, and usable content.

  • Audience-Centered Writing: Practice tailoring technical content for engineers, managers, clients, and regulators.

  • AI Research & Validation: Use AI to gather information and critically assess its reliability and source credibility.

  • Ethics & IP: Understand the boundaries of authorship, ownership, and responsible AI use.

How Will Business Improve?

  • Faster Documentation Cycles: Reduce bottlenecks in writing reports, manuals, and specifications.

  • Improved Communication: Enhance clarity and alignment across teams and stakeholders.

  • Risk Reduction: Avoid compliance and IP issues by training staff in ethical AI use.

Who Will Benefit from This Course?

  • Engineering Teams: Improve documentation quality and reduce time spent writing.

  • Technical Leads & Project Managers: Communicate more effectively with cross-functional teams.

  • R&D and Innovation Units: Accelerate knowledge sharing and technical reporting.

  • Compliance and Quality Teams: Ensure documentation meets regulatory and ethical standards.

Program Format

  • Duration: 2-3 sessions between 4-6 hours each with 1-2 hours of outside work

  • Format: In-person with interactive exercises, live demonstrations, and collaborative writing labs

  • Audience: Engineering teams, technical leads, and R&D professionals

Industry Resource Form

I would like:(Required)
I am(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.