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With support from the , the University of New Haven launched PITCH in 2012 — an innovative initiative to strengthen the technical communication skills of engineering and computing graduates. In 2025, the Davis Educational Foundation funded a follow-on phase to introduce AI tools that further enhance students' communication skills.

“The goal of this project was to emphasize professional communication skills across engineering and computing disciplines,” said Ronald Harichandran, dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering (TCoE) at the University of New Haven. “Employers want engineering and computing graduates to display the ability to communicate clearly. Good communication skills will give our graduates an advantage in the marketplace.”

PITCH is founded on the premise that effective technical communication is not a single skill acquired in one course, but a set of professional habits developed repeatedly across engineering and computing curricula. PITCH has several defining features.

• Research-based outcomes. PITCH faculty developed a comprehensive set of learning outcomes based on surveys of engineering faculty, TCoE alumni, and employers — identifying not only which technical communication products matter most in the profession, but which communication behaviors drive career success.
• Developmental, discipline-specific assignments. Communication assignments are built around engineering and computing content and designed to help students achieve these outcomes progressively throughout their degree programs.
• Technology-enabled support. PITCH leverages technology, especially AI tools, to give both students and faculty supporting resources.
• Faculty development. Faculty engaged with PITCH learn best-practice methods for designing and evaluating effective technical communication assignments and teaching students how to use AI tools effectively, responsibly, and ethically in their work.