Communicating in the professional world

Applied Business Writing and Communication

Asim Fayaz, BSc 2010

Who am I

Governance reform

What is the public sector? What are the problems? What are the reasons for those

problems?

Pick your battles!

Governance reform using ICT

Citizen feedback Driving license, property

registration, etc. Smart monitoring

Health, education, livestock and more

Capacity building

How to sell innovative ideas

Treat the citizen as a customer/consumer/client

Understand the citizen’s requirements

You can either… Serve an existing need Create a need and serve Make them realize what they need and

serve

How to sell innovative ideas Understand “your” client Help him/her figure out what he/she

wants What’s the objective? Information!

Availability Accessibility Usability Utility

Government/citizens/donors Companies/consumers/investors

How to sell innovative ideas

Prototyping Trial and errorLet the system fail – and evolve

Enya – Only time “Who can say where the road goes

Where the day flows, only time”

What sells best?

Demo! It’s

Live Personal Interactive Real

Murphy’s law

“Are we there yet?”

Short-term mindset Immediate returns – small wins Political climate“We’re not there yet… but we’re

getting there!”

TEDxLahore

The boons and banes of using Powerpoint

“But what can we do right now?”

Hangout with the right people Know the right professors Do well in your courses Take as many courses as possible

from other streams Join societies early – free trips! Find opportunities outside of LUMS Read – not just your Facebook

stream Talk to professionals