Presentation

Kateryna Lukashevych“Effective Email Communication”

Introduction

Over 6 years experience in IT

C++ Developer

Product manager

QA managerCPE and RnD

manager

Currently managing team of 10 engineers at HP SiteScope/Lohika

Kateryna Lukashevych

Types of communication:

Internal communications External

communications

The ways to communicate:

Communication

Email

Coffee Talk

CallChat

Meeting

When to use e-mail

• You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach

• The information you want to share is not time-sensitive.

• You need to send some file

• You need to distribute information to a large number of people quickly

• You need a written record of the communication.

E-mail

Subject

To:

CC:

Body:

Attachment

Signature

Importance

Purpose of e-mail

Providing updates

Asking for help

Giving a task

Apologize ComplaintStatus Report

Welcome, Goodbye

Greetings Etc.

Subject

• Good Use of Subject Lines

• Do not leave empty subject

• Use special word to attract attention:– [Urgent]

– [Action needed]

– [ASAP]

– [Need help]

– [EOD] [EOM]

– [Attention]

Subject example

Bad example Good example

Status report Could you please send the April status report? EOW

Issues with latest case [URGENT] Case #NT4650712567 need updates

Maintenance of our system [Attention] Lohika-01.lohika.com server will be unavailable tomorrow (17 of May)

Important! Read Immediately!! Emergency: Latest build crashes on the customer environment

Help Please provide me a link to the SharePoint

To:/CC:

Make sure all relevant people are in To:

Don’t put a lot of people in To: field

Why we add people to CC:?

Who is relevant for CC:?

Tip

To avoid sending unfinished emails fill “To:” and “CC:” sections after you finalize e-mail.

Tip

Do not click “Reply All”, reply to relevant people

First sentences

Summary of e-mail in first sentences:

• Please perform investigation of CRID01. …

• Below is a feature “A” status report

• Please update me about “Some area issues” …

• Can you provide information about “Some area”? …

• I am writing you regarding CRID01 …

• Please help us resolve issues with …

• We finished testing “feature A”. Status is Green. No issues found.

Only relevant information

• Provide only relevant information

• Provide all needed details from first attempt (Links, Credentials, attach e-mails)

• If you feel that some additional background info needed do not hesitate to add it

• If you feel that other are missing some details or misunderstanding you, try to make all questionable parts clear.

Tip

Call or arrange meeting if needed

Example of lack information

Adding relevant information

One main message per email

• In case you have several separate topic to discuss write

separate e-mails

Keep the message focused.

Keep the message focused.

• Number your points to ensure they are all read

• Split them up into separate messages so your recipient can delete, answer, file, or forward each item individually.

• Keep your text readable.

• Write short paragraphs

• Use simple words

• Do not use fancy fonts, images etc.

Tip

Attach image or diagram for better understanding

Identify yourself clearly

• Add your position and contacts (e-mail, phone number)

• Wring the first time to the person? Identify yourself in the first sentence.

Action items to other people

• Clearly identify what is needed from other people:

Hi Team

Please make sure you will perform all necessary checks with the new build.

Katya

Action items to other people

• Clearly identify what is needed from other people:

Hi Team

Please make sure you will perform all necessary checks? with the new build. (build number/ date?), when I need to do it?

Katya

Action items to other people

• Clearly identify what is needed from other people:

Hi Team

Please make sure you will perform all necessary checks with the new build. (#1234, 10.02.2015) till the end of the day:

@Michael - install a new build

@Masha – perform Scenarios #1, 3, 5

@Igor –check that dll02.dll is included.

Please update me with results as soon as it is done.

Katya

Be polite

Bad example Good example

It is not my : job/responsibilityNot my faultNo one can help you

My job is “A”, on the subject of “Y” the person/team you need is…

Send me details of insurance policy

Could you please……Please could you send me the details of the insurance policy?Could you send me the details of the insurance policy, please?

Immediately / without further delay

"As this matter is urgent, I would appreciate a reply as soon as possible.""I would be grateful for your prompt reply.""I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.““Please give this task priority”

Be polite

Examples

Polite introduction Hope all is well today. Thanks for your email Pavel. (when replying to an email) I hope you had a good holiday/weekend/business trip.

Polite close Thanks for your time and have a good day.Feel free to contact me with any further questions.I am looking forward to seeing you next week at the meeting.

A long mail thread• Let me summarize current status

• List of open items

• List of closed items

• !Before adding new people to mail thread check if there is no private information

Hi Laura

Let me summarize current status. You requested to implement features : A, B, C, D.1. A- done (see details in mail thread below)2. B- in progress. We already implemented the main path but there are still some open

questions that needs to be clarified. Let’s discuss it during tomorrow meeting. 3. C- unable to implement as it will lead to security issues (see attached report from

security expert)4. D- was cancelled by your request.

Regards,Kateryna

Mail threads

New topic in existing mail thread

• Create a new e-mail with relevant people

• Notify other that you are going create a new thread.

Several mail thread regarding one topic

• Try to avoid or combine in one email

Attachment

• Do not attach big files, use a link to some shared resource

If unable to answer the e-mail

• Check if you are a relevant person

– Do not ignore e-mail!

• You need some time to answer the e-mail

Hi Lena

I am not able to give the answer today. I need to perform additional research. I will update you in 4 days.

Regards,Kateryna Lukashevych

How to work with e-mails

• Do not delete e-mail with important information:– Agreement

– Timelines

– Technical detail

– Important links

• Group e-mails into: folders, categories.

• Change subject and send it to yourself, so you will be able to find it if needed

Questions?